BBC Radio 4's "Today" reports that the Government will introduce English language tests for people applying for visas to marry someone in Britain.
38,000 such visas were issued last year.
The language tests are expected to reduce that by 10%.
A reduction of 50% (or more) could be achieved at a stroke by implementing the Conservatives' 1979 General Election promise (subsequently broken) to prevent foreign and Commonwealth men from using marriage as a means of taking up permanent residence in the UK.
Naturally, that 38,000 is not the end of the matter. They will have children........
Also, The Daily Telegraph reported (3 June, page 11) that 273,445 foreign students were given visas in 2009, a rise of 30% over the previous year. Those students are entitled to work, and they can acquire permanent residence in the UK through marriage. And, by law, like those who have come here for marriage, they are entitled to compete on "equal" terms with native Britons for work and promotion. This, despite the UK having 2.47 million unemployed.
In a separate item on "Today" Lord Prescott argued forcefully that gardens should be built on to provide homes - because of shortage of space...... (So much for "England's green and pleasant land".)
Meanwhile, British soldiers are being killed in Afghanistan with increasing frequency. Today's was with the Princess of Wales Royal Regiment......
Wednesday, 9 June 2010
Tuesday, 1 June 2010
Tale of Two Tragedies
The British Government cannot cap non-European Union migration to the UK any more than BP can cap that wretched leak in the Gulf of Mexico.
What it could do - if it had the will - is restrict foreigners who come to the UK on a temporary basis from becoming permanent residents.
The obvious means by which single people achieve this is by finding someone to marry.
It is primarily young men who have the urge to explore and to occupy other peoples' territory.
For years people from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe (and elsewhere) have been flocking to Calais (sans papiers but with much determination) and other Channel ports so as to live in Britain. They are all young men and boys.....
Women's role is vital - men and women are "Each useless without the other" ("Hiawatha") - but it is natural for women to be homemakers, rather than enablers of young men's predatory ambitions.
England and Wales were occupied by the Romans for 367 years. The Roman legions withdrew 1,600 years ago, in 410 AD.
The present occupation of these islands by young men from outside the EU is a cause of much unhappiness.
Forget that particular cap.
Plug the leaks.
Both of 'em.
What it could do - if it had the will - is restrict foreigners who come to the UK on a temporary basis from becoming permanent residents.
The obvious means by which single people achieve this is by finding someone to marry.
It is primarily young men who have the urge to explore and to occupy other peoples' territory.
For years people from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe (and elsewhere) have been flocking to Calais (sans papiers but with much determination) and other Channel ports so as to live in Britain. They are all young men and boys.....
Women's role is vital - men and women are "Each useless without the other" ("Hiawatha") - but it is natural for women to be homemakers, rather than enablers of young men's predatory ambitions.
England and Wales were occupied by the Romans for 367 years. The Roman legions withdrew 1,600 years ago, in 410 AD.
The present occupation of these islands by young men from outside the EU is a cause of much unhappiness.
Forget that particular cap.
Plug the leaks.
Both of 'em.
Friday, 28 May 2010
Thursday, 27 May 2010
Queen's English
The Queen opened Parliament on 25 May with a speech on the new Government's policies:
"In the long term we should up-skill British workers so that we do not need as many economic migrants to fill jobs."
"up-skill" = improve the skills of
"migrants" = foreigners
If people go to another country to work, the usual procedure is for them to have work visas which have a time limit.
That does not make them migrants.
To call them migrants up-steps their potential claim to permanent residence.
"In the long term we should up-skill British workers so that we do not need as many economic migrants to fill jobs."
"up-skill" = improve the skills of
"migrants" = foreigners
If people go to another country to work, the usual procedure is for them to have work visas which have a time limit.
That does not make them migrants.
To call them migrants up-steps their potential claim to permanent residence.
Wednesday, 12 May 2010
Equality for All (not a Sop of a Cap)
Britain has a new Home Secretary, Theresa May. She is also Minister for Women and Equality.
For there to be Equality, there has to be a Minister for Men.
If only there was one, doubtless he would oppose the present law that allows foreign men to take up permanent residence in the UK through the simple expedience of marriage. The law also allows him to compete with native British men for work and promotion on equal terms.
Naturally for every foreign man who benefits, there is a native British man who loses out.
It is pointless the new Government talking about caps on immigration (as a sop to fool the electorate) while this long-standing systemic inequality continues.
For there to be Equality, there has to be a Minister for Men.
If only there was one, doubtless he would oppose the present law that allows foreign men to take up permanent residence in the UK through the simple expedience of marriage. The law also allows him to compete with native British men for work and promotion on equal terms.
Naturally for every foreign man who benefits, there is a native British man who loses out.
It is pointless the new Government talking about caps on immigration (as a sop to fool the electorate) while this long-standing systemic inequality continues.
Wednesday, 5 May 2010
Illogical
"You cannot stop illegal immigration."
Thus the justification by a prominent Liberal Democrat supporter for her party's policy to have an amnesty for people who are in the UK illegally. (BBC Radio 2 Jeremy Vine Show, today.)
But you need not have a policy that encourages it. You can try to discourage it and prevent it.
There is no need to give greater consideration to those who break the law than those who abide by it. Which is what an amnesty means.
Besides, it contravenes one of the three pillars of the European Union - which are democracy, human rights and the rule of law. If one pillar goes, the other two are worthless.
Thus the justification by a prominent Liberal Democrat supporter for her party's policy to have an amnesty for people who are in the UK illegally. (BBC Radio 2 Jeremy Vine Show, today.)
But you need not have a policy that encourages it. You can try to discourage it and prevent it.
There is no need to give greater consideration to those who break the law than those who abide by it. Which is what an amnesty means.
Besides, it contravenes one of the three pillars of the European Union - which are democracy, human rights and the rule of law. If one pillar goes, the other two are worthless.
Tuesday, 4 May 2010
"Dishonest" (As if we didn't know)
"... Labour and the Conservatives are being dishonest with you. They've been running secret amnesties...."
That being so, it's for sure foreigners know it.
The Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg was speaking on BBC Radio 2's Jeremy Vine Show today about his party's policy to give an amnesty to people who are in the UK illegally.
Nothing (except perhaps control) is more important than the occupation of territory.
The Leaders of all three main parties (and Mrs. Thatcher) deserve to be in the Tower of London.
(Labour gave amnesties in 1975.)
That being so, it's for sure foreigners know it.
The Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg was speaking on BBC Radio 2's Jeremy Vine Show today about his party's policy to give an amnesty to people who are in the UK illegally.
Nothing (except perhaps control) is more important than the occupation of territory.
The Leaders of all three main parties (and Mrs. Thatcher) deserve to be in the Tower of London.
(Labour gave amnesties in 1975.)
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