There are plenty of Australians who don't accept that fact...just read the comments posted whenever an immigration news story is published.

Why does Australia need migrants? Unless it's just to fill up the space...why don't the same reasons apply to the UK?

You would be wrong... same report, just a better breakdown.

Research into voting patterns was conducted for The Electoral Commission in May 2005, just after the last election. The “Black and Minority Ethnic Survey”, conducted by MORI, asked which party respondents had voted for in 2005. Of Caribbean and African voters, 80% had voted Labour, 2-3% Conservative and 5- 11% Liberal Democrat. Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshis voted 56%, 50% and 41% for Labour. The equivalent figures for the Conservatives were 11%, 11% and 9% while Liberal Democrats came in at 14%, 25% and 16%. Mixed and other categories were similar to the Asians.

You really believe that the UK needs more people?. Remember that the Labour party increased migration to serve a political purpose, not for economic reasons.

But the report said 50 to 10% as well. The opposite of 10% is 90%. Hence possibly 90%. Sorry but I said I got the figures from your report. Actually I didn't get it from the report I got it from your quote.

You said it's a 'fact' that Australia needs more people - I'm wondering why that's the case and why those reasons don't apply to the UK?

Immigration being 'good for the economy' is a line that's constantly rolled out and is disputed in many quarters.

http://www.econ.ucl.ac.uk/cream/pages/CDP/CDP_06_04.pdf

Try that as a cure for insomnia... it does indicate that immigration is not all its cracked up to be when it comes to it being 'good' for economies

What the Hell difference does that make.. the original quote was poorly laid out, that's all. I just presented the numbers better. You said most Indians would vote Tory... they don't. It's not a big deal.

Okay. You're correct. UK does not need an expanding population.

You changed the figures. That makes a difference.


As for Indians voting Tory. I did say "suspect" but I'll admit my suspicion was wrong wrt to the last election. Most of the Indians I knew would vote Tory. But most of them weren't immigrants either.

Australia sees the need for more people as part of its nation building, the need to increase population, evidenced in the 'baby bonus' payouts, the drive to become a 'big player'.

The UK is hardly in the same position. It's already amongst the most crowded places on the globe, unlike Australia, the emptiest of the continents. (please don't come back with nonsense about the Arctic regions) .

For what its worth, as its obviously hair splitting time...No I didn't.

The original quote said 50% to 10%. It meant roughly 50% to Labour and 10% to the Tories... you just chose to read it as 90% of Indians were Tory voters. Either way it doesn't matter.... the numbers are what they are.

I didn't chose to read it that way I was directed by the writer.

Then blame the Electoral Commision... its their quote.

Okay.

Sounds more like a political reason to me than a valid economic one.