Shouldn't we discuss it with them first in case they also stopped trade? Or do we just stop everyone, apart from their highly trained people, and worry about the repercussions later?

If there was the slightest chance they might stop trading with the UK, perhaps, But they won't in a million years, so the suggestion is irrelevant.



In fact one might even suggest some countries might welcome a reduction in the export of workers to the UK - a few years ago some colleagues in Europe began to talk of a shortage of skilled Polish workers in some trades, leading to other nationalities going into Poland...for higher wages than the departed indigenous workers. This has in turn led to some Poles returning home to take advantage of said higher wages. Ironic?

Not really, people will also go to other countries to make more money. My Dad worked in South Africa before I was born for 4 years and returned with 50% of a house deposit.



It's supply and demand.



Just out of interest what would you do to stop/regulate immigration?

Its already regulated - you may not agree with the level to which its controlled, but there isn't, despite what the newspapers would have you believe, an open door policy in the UK.

She's enough to put a man off his three shredded wheat of a morning.

I agree. It's actually pretty tough already.



Try telling companies who can't get decent British/EU staff and also can't get workers from outside the EU or the thousands of British citizens who can't have their partners join them in the UK, solely because they don't earn enough (nothing to so with sham marriages) that there is an open door policy.



It would help if the Home Office were a bit more fit for purpose, but with this lot in charge, inaccuracy is the keyword. It now takes over 6 months to challenge a Home Office decision at the Tribunal, because there are so many appeals in the system, but also because HO policy is to ignore representations and let things go to appeal.



It really is a crazy, inefficient, ineffective system we have right now, but its a long way from an open door.

You're welcome to try.



I started a thread some time ago – without any connection to a TV programme – and tried to post a thoughtful OP.



I got about two replies.



And neither of those were from the 'immigrunts are killing ower kulture' fraternity or the 'you're being racist even using the 'I' word' one either.



One point that has not, this time around, been raised thus far: why is that so many of those who rail most loudly against immigration/migrant workers also claim to believe in freedom of choice etc, when they appear not to believe that that should include the freedom to move between countries to search for work/a better life?



And for the sake of clarity, I am not saying that uncontrolled migration/immigration would be perfection. But it is also equally right to bring up migration the other way, and pretending that it isn't part of the same subject is errant nonsense.

That, right there, is the prime reason that it's so difficult to have a proper discussion.



There's a reason that the [iDaily Mail[/i is currently facing a legal threat over its fantasy claims about Romanians from late last year. And unfortunately, far too many people unquestioningly accept what that and other rags publish.

Part of the problem, as I said earlier is, like a lot of issues, lack of understanding.



Too many people rail against it but don't realise, for example, that Kylie Minogue is an immigrant. When film companies make films at Pinewood etc starring, for example, Tom Cruise, he then becomes an immigrant, if we're going to be technical. Should we send Kylie back to Oz? Or tell Tom to take his film making money elsewhere? Should Liverpool be forced to sack Luis Suarez?



The people that blindly rant about, effectively, "darkies", "coming over here" appear (without any irony) to have no problem with us going elsewhere as Minty says. The recent map doing the rounds on Twitter showing the number of UK citizens in other EU countries was a good example of this lack of understanding, and god knows how many Brits live in Aus or the USA for example. But if [uthey[/u want to come [uhere[/u, its the end of the world.



And don't get me started on the number of people who read a tabloid and can spot an illegal immigrant, but would prefer not to tell the authorities.



We need a proper debate, ignoring showboating like the shower that were on the other night. How you have that and get people to pay attention is the next challenge

Yes.

Watched about 10 minutes of it, what a horrible cow that Hopkins is.