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A country wrecked by unlimited immigration
An article written by Simon Heffer was published in the Telegraph, London 27 Oct 2007
It is reviewed here by David Hughes-Jones
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The country Mr. Heffer is talking about is Britain but many of the matters he touched upon in his article are relevant to Australia as well. Why do we have to repeat the same mistakes that Britain has made!
The town of Slough he informs us says it has so many immigrants it needs more money: the Government disagrees.:
Remember Enoch Powell who was vilified in the late 1960s for drawing attention to the problem, the then social services secretary, Dick Crossman, ordered officials to conceal what he and they knew to be the true figures. The difference between the statistics and reality may be down to sheer incompetence but the truth is that no one has any idea how many people are in Britain. The British Government decided, when it came to power in 1997, that it would be a good idea to stop proper enforcement of border controls! Jack Straw was home secretary at the time, and was responsible for this.Although his successor, David Blunkett raved on about getting tough on illegal immigrants, promising round-ups and deportations of those with no right to be here it never happened. It is evident that for decades, bare-faced lies have been told by our rulers about immigration.
Mr Heffer reports that as a result parts of the country, notably in and around London, are suffering from terrible overcrowding. Coupled with the Government's insane decision to allow unfettered rights of access to Britain by the 10 countries that joined the EU in 2004, this has put a crippling strain on housing, the health service, schools and the police.
He believes that immigration is not a racial problem but a problem of numbers, and one the Government not only refuses to admit, but will not even attempt to quantify.Only this week, it was announced that there were 11,000 foreigners in British prisons - one in seven of those inside - and the Government, with typical incompetence, is struggling to negotiate deals to have these people serve their sentences back home.
An independent body called the National Housing and Planning Advice Unit said that the Government's plans to build three million new homes by 2020 were not nearly adequate if unlimited immigration policy continued.A side issue but just as important was that this policy would inevitably result in the end of the indigenous cultural identity. The tensions of "multi-culturalism" are dangerous enough but so are the practical issues like overpopulating a small island.
Simon Heffer has great concerns that large parts of Britain will be concreted over to accommodate all these new people with new roads, railways and airports and wonders with public services already buckling, under the strain how is Britain going to cope with ever increased populations.
Simon Heffer dismisses the Labour Government excuses to fail to control borders by claiming that the economy needs immigrants. He points out that the country already has a welfare state that tolerates about eight million economically unproductive people of working age - the unemployed, those in "training" and those on various benefits because they believe they are unfit for work. He believes it is overdue to get real about immigration.
Between now and the next census in 2011, the Government he suggests should do a little housekeeping locating and deporting all those with no right to be here among the possible 70 million people in Britain already. Combined with these measures it is essential to ensure immigration controls at our ports rigorously enforced.He expects that these measures will end our reputation as an "international soft touch" and will deter further illegal immigrants from coming to Britain.He claims that he future of the British way of life in fact depends on such actions.
Commenting on the condition of schools and education in Britain today Mr Heffer reported the astonishing number of 204,000 pupils are classified as persistent truants, missing at least one day's school each week?
He questions what sanctions are there to stop such truancy with parents now unable to administer the good hiding that was the normal manner in which truancy was dealt with long ago and which was usually effective.Today all that happens is that these children are suspended, which does nothing to solve the problem.
He suggests that part of the problem is that some schools are hardly worth attending having low standards of achievement, violence from other pupils,and with demoralised teachers. Heffer argues that children quickly realise the futility of attending such schools and find other venues much more attractive.He claims that the Government's proposal to make children stay on at school until 18,( further disrupting those who really want to learn), does not make much sense and the case for the school leaving age lowered to 14 ( provided the dole is not an option) makes much more sense..
Simon Heffer expressed dismay by the cynicism with which some MPs, to pretend they care about ex-servicemen and women by wearing a poppy from about the middle of August. When he was first a parliamentary reporter 20 years ago,( and there were still many MPs who had served in the war), one didn't see a poppy in the Commons before October. He finds the Government pretence of support for the Armed Forces quite disgusting.
Turning to the matter of Drug use in Britain Mr Heffer said that it was no surprise that cocaine use has, according to the latest figures, almost doubled since Labour came to power? He is amazed that any citizen can resist resorting to illegal substances in an attempt to maintain morale in the face of the ghastly situation of Britain today.He blames Government actions over the past 30 years pointing to the lack of seriousness with which the government addresses the cancer of drug abuse.He questions that this lack of seriousness may be perhaps because so many MP's used drugs themselves earlier in their lives.He observes that many MP’s grasp of reality suggests that they are still users.!
Mr Heffer revealed that one in five young people admitted to having smoked cannabis in the year to last March, and that figure may be an under-estimate. As 70 per cent of crime in Britain is generaly believed to be drug-related, it seems evident that Labour's expensive anti-drugs policy has been a failure. "We are not complacent," says the minister responsible. Heffer asks how things would look if they were!.
Mr Heffer drew attention to the Government inclination to spend tax-payers money on lesbian “outreach” workers, road humps and first-class travel for bureaucrats and their wives, rather than provide support pensioners facing increased heating costs.Given the astronomical rises in energy costs over the past four years — since the benefit was last increased.Evidently the Government has no regrets advising pensioners to wear a hat in bed to keep warm!
He recalls the case of Patrick Jenkin in 1973 telling citizens to brush their teeth in the dark to save electricity and asks whether the Government expects old folk during the winter to huddle together in communal shelters.( warmed possibly by a bonfire of pointless government circulars)
While Simon Heffer appreciates that MPs need a secretary, a reasonable office and travelling expenses, and some help towards a constituency base. he feels that recent reports show how some MPs milk the system and demonstrate that, far from being an opportunity for public service, Parliament is now regarded as a good place to make money.
He cites the case of Ed Balls MP who with his wife received more than £300,000 expenses last year: they claimed their weekend home was their "main" residence, while the house they actually lived in London. attracted allowances as a "second home". He believes that arrangements such as this attract people with little experience or skills from the real world to stand for Parliament.
Mr Heffer seriously suggests that there is not only a case for capping expenses, doing away with the ludicrous entourages some MPs now have, but also for abolishing MPs' salaries.He believes that these measures would encourage MP's to have, and keep, proper jobs keeping them in touch with the realities that ordinary citizens face daily. This he firmly thinks would lead to a far better governance.
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