Points System = No Freedom of Movement

Britain's Brexit crisis is mainly caused by immigration. But there was no question about immigration at the last of the TV debates (held last night) before next Thursday's General Election. However, Prime Minister Boris Johnson did say a couple of times that, if the Conservatives are elected, there would be an Australian-style points system. Western Europe has had the benefit of freedom of movement since 1945. So my question is: Will there still be freedom of movement throughout Western Europe except for 4 countries in these fractured islands in its North-West corner? Because a points system is incompatible with freedom of movement. And it's not just England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland that have to be considered when it comes to immigration controls; there is the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands.... Borders are porous if loopholes aren't catered for, and controls rendered pointless....

Language Traduces Thought, Part 2 (Part 1 was on 18 April 2017)

The Prime Minister's claim to be truthful caused derision among the studio audience at the first TV debate in the Run-up to the General Election of 12 December. Truth is said to be the first casualty of war, which is said to be politics by other means. And words themselves conceal the truth in war. Thucydides wrote in "The Peloponnesian War" in the 5th c. BC that cowardice is called tactical retreat, and so on. Thucydides also wrote that war in one place causes people to move somewhere else, which causes another war. Migrants are people who emigrate from one country to live in another. Only EU citizens are entitled to migrate to the UK without a visa. But because EU citizens come here probably not intending to cut connections with their own country it is wrong to call them migrants. The same is true, of course, of people who live in the UK on a Spouse Visa. They retain their own nationality, and can live in their own country if they feel so inclined, so they are foreigners not migrants. While calling people who enter the UK illegally "migrants" gives them a legitimacy they do not yet have. They, too, should more properly be called foreigners, or illegal aliens or possibly potential migrants since that is what they may hope to achieve - or, more likely, acquire the right to permanent residence (peculiarly called "Indefinite Leave to Remain") while keeping their original nationality so they can return "home" whenever they want.

It's International Men's Day!

The first TV Debate in the Run-up to the 2019 General Election is today. Today is, I'm told, International Men's Day. It's hard to believe, as there is no publicity for it, but let's hope some people make the most of it. In the 3 TV debates prior to the 2010 General Election Gordon Brown said his solution to Britain's immigration problems was a points system. He had already been Prime Minister for two and a half years so why hadn't he implemented a points system? Because it isn't a good idea. It's a smokescreen to confuse the electorate. David Cameron, who became Prime Minister, said 3 times in the 2010 debates, he wanted a cap on immigration. Now, senior Conservatives are saying they want a points system. What they could say, but don't, is that they will stop Muslims bringing 4 "wives" (and their children) to live in the UK. And stop foreign men using marriage to live here. (About 10,000 men a year take advantage of this loophole.) And deport illegals (of whom an estimated 1 million live in the UK).

"Welcome to the Asylum"

Run-up to the 12 December Election: Conservative politicians' talk of ending freedom of movement is insane. Everywhere (except perhaps North Korea) has freedom of movement. Will other countries reciprocate and deny freedom of movement to us Brits? Of course, what politicians are referring to is not tourism. They are referring to work visas. But that is not what they say. Presumably because they want to deceive. It is only EU citizens who don't require visas to work in the UK. Similarly, we don't need them to work in other EU countries. A character in "Alice in Wonderland" says that words mean what he wants them to mean. That way lunacy lies. "Welcome to the Asylum" was published by Centre for Policy Studies back in 2001. Its points are still valid, but it needs updating.

A Lesson for us All

When the mutineers took HMS Bounty to Pitcairn they also took with them 4 Tahitian men and some women - but fewer than the total number of men. That was one problem. Fletcher Christian didn't want to be a dictator. So the Britons had a Council. After a while they voted (by 1) to deprive the Tahitians of their land. Christian argued that this was such an important issue there should be a delay. (Brexit anyone?) One man told his wife, who told the Tahitian men. They went to their "marae" to decide what to do. They concluded they had no option but to kill all the Britons, including those they liked. They stole the guns. The ensuing fight resulted in only 3 survivors - hard-line mutineers. The women threw them out. When only one man survived, Alexander Smith, his wife pleaded for him to be allowed back. He taught the children their lessons. Sadly, Pitcairn these days still has big problems.

40 Years On

Most of the 39 people who died after entering the UK illegally a few days ago are thought to be Vietnamese. Mrs Thatcher was elected on 3 May 1979 with a large majority and a promise to curb immigration. But before the month of May was out she agreed that Vietnamese who had gone to Hong Kong be allowed to settle in the UK. It was obvious that once a community was established here that other Vietnamese would come. In 1980 I had legal aid for my divorce, so I applied for legal aid to bring a case of treason against Mrs Thatcher for allowing foreigners to live in the UK while Brits can't live in their countries. But the Law Society refused me the necessary Green Certificate. (Though legal aid is given for immigration cases.) 40 years ago in October 1979 a youngish man (me) cycled to London's Parliament Square in the pouring rain. The Press had said there would be a demonstration against Mrs Thatcher's election promise to stop foreign men from using marriage to live in the UK. There was not a soul around. Not even traffic. I left, but went back at lunchtime. It was just the same. No one. Still pouring heavily. On 30 October the Immigration Minister, Timothy Raison, announced the Government wouldn't be keeping its promise. When asked why by Douglas Stewart on Radio 4 "Tonight", he replied "Because of the fuss." The result is some 400,000 men (10,000 a year) live in these unfortunate islands. If they had all arrived at once perhaps people would have noticed.

We're all Puppets on a String

The Brexit imbroglio caused by politicians, lawyers, etc.(incl. voters) is caused by immigration which is also a big long ongoing muddle that is the result of disputes between politicians, lawyers, etc.(voters who want it and innocently pretend that the trouble it has caused has nothing to do with them). Immigration is also responsible for "equality" laws and for their offspring "positive action" which gives legal cover for prioritising everyone over native British men. The carers in a care home I visit are all foreign. They don't stay long. It's a fair bet that having established themselves here they then find more lucrative and less demanding work. So there is an endless turnover of staff. Immigration, like its offspring Brexit, is a not-very-Merry-go-round.