OzTennis

No argument; I've been simply discussing, which I won't do any more, the reasons why Brexit succeeded and I've said that immigration turned out to be the main issue and racism lurks behind some of those who voted Leave.

brits1

I voted for Brexit and would again, after living in Aus and returning to the UK you notice the difference and think why do we have to do what another countries are telling you do to (that certainly does not happen in the America's, Australia, New Zealand, China, Russia etc) and alters certain laws, I was a migrate to Australia and agree with Migration but skilled and controlled migration (as similar to Australia) is a must for the UK, we are a small country compared to other European countries, we have to control population as housing, Education, Health, Countryside is being impacted as no other European Country is, we could sustain this while being in Europe. Europe was a dream which was never going to work as we were all wanting, living, ideals, speaking different languages, super rich countries, super poor countries, countries with so much culture they did not want to adapt and adopt but still wanting the benefits of being part of Europe, As for Scotland if they want a vote then the Scottish people should pay for that from their own coffers, they had a vote which cost a fortune which the UK could use elsewhere, if then they want to leave then let them go, I would be more than happy if that was there choice, why make someone stay when they don't want to but they must loose all their concessions they are given by the British Government and also should not be allowed to still with the Pound Sterling. I am English and proud of it but was also very proud to be British, I have Scottish and Welsh ancestry and I thought we all worked well together but that is eroding over the years, it will be sad if it happens but if it must it must then onwards and upwards. Having these views does not make me any less of a decent person as I have said I do not care where in the world you are from, as long as you live by the laws of the land, that your needed and you contribute and your honest.

Novocastrian

F*** me. If you're in the timezone I think you're in, isn't it a bit early to be out of your head?

astera

Singapore? 4th major financial centre in the world after NY, London and Tokyo. Is that your definition of "insignificant?"

Ranked #2 in the global ranking on economic freedom.

Higher per capita GDP than Australia or the UK.

One of the least corrupt countries in the world.

#1 airline in the world. #1 airport in the world.

Yes, please tell us more - where exactly were you educated?

scrubbedexpat098

Is that it? very poor

Beoz

Rubbish. Rebellion against the political normal was behind the leave decision. Immigration was one reason, EU decided farming subs was another, and as Brits mentioned who voted for Brexit, he/she didn't like local decisions being made by Brussels.

Only narrow minded left wingers would draw a conclusion at racism because its an easy target and doesn't require much thought.

scrubbedexpat098

If I was an unskilled worker, and migrant unskilled workers were undercutting me and forcing me to take sub-minimum wage work, the colour of those workers' skin would not be the reason I wanted them to piss off.

OzTennis

https://www.ipsos-mori.com/researchp...eferendum.aspx

Beoz

Why are you posting pre-brexit commentary?

Voting about immigration policy doesn't make one racist. Please explain how it does?

As I have explained to you the only other option to immigration control is open borders. Is that really what you want? It would be a lovely concept wouldn't it. Unfortunately economic and welfare abuse doesn't permit fair roam right now.

Beoz

Polish builders are white.

But they do a way better job than the locals in my opinion for a fraction of the cost.

Either way, if the people voted against that type of undercutting, then we move onward and upward.

xizzles

While I'm thousands of miles away in safe, sterile Singapore, it wasn't all that long ago that the local population (including wifey dearest) was all up in arms and had their knickers in all manner of scout-knots - thanks to what they perceived as an uncontrolled influx of mainland Chinese.

My wife is ethnically Chinese (but a 3rd generation, English as a first language, church-going, Singaporean). And she was going on about how the mainlanders were driving up the property prices, over-crowding the MRT services (not that she ever took the train once in her pampered, coiffured, manicured life - or the taxi or any form of public transport ever, that spoiled thing).

And I'm thinking - these are your people. Your grandparents probably knew someone from the same village as they. Yet, the behaviour on display - like many other ethnic Chinese Singaporeans - bordered on being, yes - that word - racist.

She may have had a rational human fear (which may even be justifiable, one might argue) - but her behaviour and response to that fear was no less racist than any other cotton plantation slave-owning pre-war Southerner. Or, dare I say, some of those (not all, obviously) who voted one way at the referendum.

Beoz

Yes. Some of the worst cases of racism I have seen have been in Asia.

But the lefties will have you believe only a white man can be racist.

xizzles

The subcontinent shows some of the worst cases of racism known to man, what with their entrenched caste system and the idea that one is born into a strata of society from which there is no escape or reprieve.

However, the white man hasn't exactly been innocent of similar atrocities during the years of bringing "civilization", "enlightenment" and "progress" (from our point of view) versus "colonization" or "conquest" or "subjugation" (from the conquered nations' point of view).

At the end of the day, white, brown, black, yellow - our blood is still red and our bones are still white. We have much more in common - brutality, racism, war-mongering and savagery - than whatever cultural differences there may be.

scrubbedexpat098

I think racist, bigot and xenophobe are the wrong terms to use, people are resistant to change as it is, if it's a negative change in one or two respects then those affected will be especially resistant. I think you wife would've been equally miffed had the influx been Aussies, pommes, Africans etc. If your life is cruisy, with the bulk of the hard work done the last thing you want is someone coming along and screwing it all up. Just my thoughts

OzTennis

If you looked you would have seen the poll was in June last year just before the vote. I'm talking about immigration being the main issue which decided how people voted just after that (how else can one discuss what influenced how people voted than what was prevailing in June '16; now is irrelevant, the vote is done and dusted).

You are trying to brush it away with talk of people sick of Brussels red tape, farming subsidies etc. Again I make the point that SOME people who are racist can use the 'immigration issue' to legitimise their irrational fears. End of. I'm not going to spend endless time on this (like when you couldn't grasp that Farage was drawing a bigger salary post Brexit due to the decline of the pound).

Open borders is nonsense; smacks of nobody at airports, ports, patrolling coastlines to stop illegal immigrants. Point to where I'm suggesting this prevails.