No to 70 Million - e-Petition

[Dedworth]

Sign up here

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/19658

[sim&lil]

No thanks.

[Dedworth]

No thanks.

Andrew Green & Anti-Forrin

[Sim11UK]

That's not going to help anyone on this forum.

What with talk of making spouse visas harder to get etc. Immigration is immigration, in most peoples eyes.

[Dedworth]

That's not going to help anyone on this forum.

What with talk of making spouse visas harder to get etc. Immigration is immigration, in most peoples eyes.

So putting vested interests aside the uncontrolled & unrestricted immigration policies of Mr Blair and New Labour that filled this country with the scum of the earth are acceptable - sim&lil will go along with that as it's "pro forrin"

[sim&lil]

According to you then every immigrant is the scum of the earth? UK population will hit 70 million at some point anyway,mainly due to people living longer.

Strange as it may seem I too would like to see the "forrin" criminals removed from the UK, as for every other immigrant, they must have the right to be in the UK so what do you propose?

As for Andrew Green and Migrationwatch, all they seem to do is manipulate and bend figures to suit their agenda. Their rantings have been disproved by better people than me.

[Dedworth]

According to you then every immigrant is the scum of the earth?

I don't believe I said that. I'm all for capped and controlled immigration - under Blair and Brown in the drive to increase Labours voting base untold numbers of scum of the earth entered the UK often via the back of a lorry

[les_taxi]

Signed it

[Dedworth]

Signed it

Well done Les - 43000 now (6.30pm Wed) - 10000 when I signed Tuesday morning

[Englishman2010]

70M is an interesting figure and is going to cause debate from both side of the fence.

Even though we are a small country, we have the spare land capacity to accomodate more people, the problem is that currently we don't have the infrastructure to support the existing population. There aren't enough hospital beds, schools, road capacity...etc

Any new infastructure is usually funded out of taxes paid for by the working population. Rightly, those of us who have paid into the system for many years feel agrieved when someone comes here with their 10 children having never paid into the system and expects free healthcare, schooling and benefits.

I have no problem with immigration, but it must be controlled. Limited to people who have the skills we are short of and need, and should be on a fixed term contract until we have trained British citizens to carry out that role. Immigrants should also be prevented from bringing their spouses and extended families here until they have paid taxes for a minimum of 5 years.

Likewise, healthcare and education should not be free for anyone who has not paid UK taxes for a minimum period of 5 years. Immigrants should not have any entitlement to benefits for 5 years either, and if they have kids, it should be limited to benefits for 2 children only.

For those of you who have brought your Filipina wife here, it is a slightly different story, as I'm assuming you are British citizens and have paid taxes yourself all of your working lives, therefore by default, anyone who was born here and has paid taxes would automatically qualify for benefits on behalf of their foreign born spouse.

In nearly every other country in the world, foreigners do not have the same entitlement to benefits/welfare support as those people who were born in that country. Why should we be any different?

[Arthur Little]

... with Cameron & Co in power, I doubt very much if a petition of this kind is really necessary! Tbh, ... I'd sooner sign my name to one calling for our withdrawal from the European Union ... because THEN - and ONLY then - can get back to legislating its OWN affairs [including immigration matters] once again!

[andy222]

Sign up here

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/19658

oh this is a tricky one. I want my wife to join me here so I think I will pass on this one.

[Terpe]

I've been thinking about this too. It seems an odd one to me.
It's based on a prediction that the "UK is expected to reach 70 million within 20 years with two thirds of the increase due to immigration".

"we call on the government to take all necessary steps to get immigration down to a level that will stabilise our population"

The idea that an increase in population to 70 million will be some kind of tipping point or disaster, just doesn't make economic sense.
In principle we are all both consumers and contributors to our country. If we have believe we will have more net-contributors than net-consumers then I guess that 70 million can be safely be accommodated.
However, there's always going to be economic and social problems when there are more net-consumers that net-contributers.
Then of course action would need to be taken to reach and maintain a balance.

The question is just what is the best action is take to achieve such a balance?
Does it really hinge on the predicted immigration policy over the next 20 years? Let's face it not much can be done about restricting European rights to free movement.

Or do demographics play a part. (age, employment status, gender,location etc.)

Maybe there should be a petition demanding the government to take urgent action on the number of people in receipt of state benefits and pensions.
All these old people will be non-contributing consumers for much longer, simply because they're all staying alive longer and boosting population.

Doesn't it also depend to a large extent where populations decide to live and work?

There are already shortages of schools and hospitals, so why are many schools being closed and many hospitals being amalgamated. Maybe because they are not in the needed location or maybe we come back to not having an economic balance of consumers and contributors.

Could there be any value in having non-EU highly talented young people (net contributors) deciding to make a life in UK?
Seems to be a better choice than allowing unqualified European net-consumers.

It seems to me that this petition is playing on peoples emotions in having them believe that a crackdown on student visas and non-EU economic migrants is the answer to population control an any other woes.

I would much rather see a bigger push to limiting our involvement with Europe.

[Arthur Little]

I would much rather see a bigger push to limiting our involvement with Europe.

That's precisely MY point ... get the hell OUT of it!

[Dedworth]

That's precisely MY point ... get the hell OUT of it!

Quite right but it's no good concentrating on that whilst still allowing untold chancers in from the rest of the world

[Arthur Little]

Quite right but it's no good concentrating on that whilst still allowing untold chancers in from the rest of the world

Oh, ... there are ne'er do wells from ALL parts of the world - not least, those embroiled in the ever-present threat posed by global terrorist activities - but it's not right that freedom of movement within the EEC allows unskilled Eastern Europeans to "invade our shores" in their droves, usurping jobs which should've been offered first and foremost to unemployed British citizens.

[Dedworth]

63k now 6:15pm Thursday

[gWaPito]

I too would have to give that vote a miss for obvious reasons.....having said that I can't see anything wrong with having a population of 70 million of productive people.

I would vote to get out of Europe for sure.

I twas mentioned that the rising population was due to the aging population....in part, yes the other reason is the ever rising birth rates

[Dedworth]

81000 now (Saturday 09:30) almost as many in numbers as the amount of scumbags the UKBA have lost since March

[johncar54]

I have done my best to reduce the population of the UK. Left it for good to live in a country which I find a great deal more pleasant.

[Dedworth]

103000 angry citizens have now signed

[gWaPito]

103000 angry citizens have now signed

I dont wish to come over as inflammatory here but, here goes....

The figure you stated is about 25% of Swindon's population...with a total uk population of 60 million its small fry.

So what about our wives and girlfriends. are you suggesting no more should be allowed in because we've got ours so, sod the rest....just a thought

The fact remains that most people on this site have and will be contributing to this 70 million figure.

[joebloggs]

you should have a legal right to bring your partner and step children to the UK if your a British citizen what ever the population figure is, but if your 'studying' or working here then maybe not..

[Dedworth]

I dont wish to come over as inflammatory here but, here goes....

The figure you stated is about 25% of Swindon's population...with a total uk population of 60 million its small fry.

So what about our wives and girlfriends. are you suggesting no more should be allowed in because we've got ours so, sod the rest....just a thought

The fact remains that most people on this site have and will be contributing to this 70 million figure.

In my book I'd go as follows :-

Proper legal, visa carrying wives/girlfriends yes but only to a UK National of at least 10 years standing. No to polygamous and arranged marriages. Anyone granted ILR is effectively on probation for 10 years if they commit a crime punishable by more than 12 months in clink they are deported with no right of appeal.

[gWaPito]

you should have a legal right to bring your partner and step children to the UK if your a British citizen what ever the population figure is, but if your 'studying' or working here then maybe not..

Ok, so we can bring our families over and after getting the ilr's be legally allowed to bleed the tax payer for all the benefits under the sun...its ok because its legal

Opposed to the working immigrant who will be leading a productive life here without getting there sticky fingers in the pot.

Im looking at it from both parties perspective...not just mine

[gWaPito]

In my book I'd go as follows :-

Proper legal, visa carrying wives/girlfriends yes but only to a UK National of at least 10 years standing. No to polygamous and arranged marriages. Anyone granted ILR is effectively on probation for 10 years if they commit a crime punishable by more than 12 months in clink they are deported with no right of appeal.

Good idea about the uk national 10yrs standing although, I would make that 15 yrs just as a deterrent for our new brothers, the non english speaking former eastern block countries.