Putting a cap on it

Immigration, immigrants, multiculturalism, all subjects able to generate the heat of discussion, disagreement and more often these days outright anger.

Sky.

Conservative leader David Cameron has proposed limiting the net number of people who are able to live and work in Britain to the "tens of thousands" a year.

He predicted the population would rise to 70 million and put a strain on resources.

But John Denham has said the Government does not support the idea as applicants with something to contribute should get the chance to come to Britain.

"Suppose the first person after the cap was an international heart specialist?" the Communities Secretary told Sunday Live with Adam Boulton.

"We don't think population is going to go to 70 million, so there is a bit of a straw man there," he said.

"We have got tight immigration control - the points-based system that is now in place means that people can only come here if what they are going to give to this country is something we need."

Mr Denham also said progress been made in the fight against racial prejudice and suggested are now more disadvantaged on the basis of their social class.

The most discriminated people in Britain may not be non-white, he said.

I have to disagree partially with both, though I suspect Cameron is closer to what we really need. What we do need if we are to have one is a cap on unskilled workers, there are plenty enough jobs in the UK at an unskilled level that we don't need more foreign workers, no matter how hard they are prepared to work at jobs that UK workers wont touch. There are cures via the benefits system to force our workshy unskilled to do, should we so desire. There should however be no cap on the skilled workers we need, indeed these are the people who should be fast tracked into our country and our system, if we need them then we should get them.
Personally though, I'm not too bothered who comes here, or rather I wouldn't be if there was no benefits other than having to work for them. You come here, you want to work that's fine, however unless you've contributed to the system (via tax, NI) for more than 5 years, you don't get jobseekers, you don't get free health, you don't get housed, you don't get anything unless you pay for it, the system would be that simple. Those that are prepared to work hard would be welcomed with open arms, those that don't will soon go elsewhere, where the pickings are easier.

Bit naive? Perhaps, but something needs to be done, I just don't think its immigration, I think it's the benefits they get for simply getting here.