montreal mike

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-25062450

But he warned the UK's infrastructure could be put under strain if large numbers of people from Romania and Bulgaria come to the country when immigration controls expire in January.

montreal mike

can someone here explain to me why these East Europeans are being singled out?

Dashie

I've not been following too closely, but I've heard grumbles about this before. I think it's something to do with those countries not having had free movement before, but now they will, so they are expecting lots of them to show up. Someone who follows this more closely can likely give a better answer.

Martin the cdn expat

Because discussing the real problem is verboten in the UK.


As far as Romanians and Bulgarians go, the smart ones in those countries have already left, being able to secure work in spite of needing permits.

Since EU citizens are allowed to apply for benefits after a couple years contributing, many think Balkan people will come just to get social assistance.

And then there is the issue of the Roma; for some reason, a lot of people think all
Romanians are Roma, this is of course not true.
But yes, opening the doors will mean more gypsies in the UK.
Maybe a lot more.

Shard

Did you even read the article? It's about electoral fraud in the Pakistani community?

As to East Europeans, they're not being singled out, they are a large wave of immigration much as the West Indians were years back, and people are talking about the effect they will have. People actually living in Britain I might add.

mikelincs

but, and it's a very big but.. no-0ne know if there will be an influx, most Bulgars and Romanians have stated they there goal is to get to Germany, much better pay there..

Shard

That's true. However did you see on the Beeb last week (the Beeb, not the DM) they interviewed twenty-somethings that were all suggesting they and "everyone they knew" we're heading for London! Apparently they can earn anywhere from 8X to 15X what they would earn in Bulgaria by coming to London. Imagine a British youngster on £30K given the opportunity to earn £240K in a world class city elsewhere, what would he/she do?

montreal mike

yes i read the article but it was the last para that struck me

Me, i am romanian via my dad who fled romania in the second world war, but i was born in England, and he never said a word to us about roma or gypsies

maybe i have some gypsy blood

MarkG

The biggest threat to Britain's infrastructure is the British government, which persistently refuses to build, or let industry build, the infrastructure it needs.

Shard

I think the last para is just a point of fact. Britain doesn't have anything against Romanians or Bulgarians per se, but there is the issue of a surge in immigration when there already is a shortage of houses, school places and an ovet stretched NHS.

The Roma (gypsies) are a different issue. If your father never said anything about them I think you can probably assume that you are not Roma.

montreal mike

I do not recall the topic ever coming up, even as joke, plus i never saw any in england in my youth

Shard

What topic, gypsies?

montreal mike

yes, i never saw one and they were rarely talked about

PeterF

I remember when I was a small kid, we were visiting my grandmother and me and my sister wanted to walk into town, some gypsies had set up camp in some waste ground between and my mum told me to be careful, as they skin you alive.

They didn't sound nice.

Novocastrian

Your mum?