Churchlawtonblue
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- 17 May 2009
- Messages
- 15,023
I understand what you are saying, but do you think where you live you are isolated from the economic pressures that immigration puts on the UK in general. Of course you're not, you may not see many immigrants in your area , but a rising UK population, above what the UK can cope with, means less money per person to distribute across all services and rising house prices. Scotland aside to a degree due to the block grant, there are not areas of the UK that are not economically isolated.We have exactly those issues where I live, however.. the population is swayed heavily towards white, British and about average for the UK with around 20% of people over the age of 60. Those figures derived from various sources.
There is a debate going on over a proposed development of a brownfield site. A well known retirement homes builder is applying for planning permission. There is an outcry that the town needs affordable housing for the youngsters, which it does. The point though, is that without immigration to blame the Social Media ire has turned on the older people, blaming them for the lack of housing, Doctor's appointments and even the heavy traffic in the town. The next doctor's appointment is 3rd week in January.
My point is that it becomes easy to blame any group of people for the woes that an area and the country faces but it is by no means clear cut on any one group. Much of the housing shortage can be attributed to the very different nature of the diverse way families now live eg following divorce etc, but it is easy to blame minority groups
Oh, by the way, the brownfield site is actually the town's police station that has been sitting empty for at leat the last 8 years.
I would add immigration is clearly not the sole cause of the issues we face, but to pretend its not a major contributing factor is not correct.