Do You Think Immigration Is Harming the UK?

UK Border Agency officers hunting down illegal immigrants. (Photo by Nathalie Olah)

According to new research, 60 percent of British people feel that there are more disadvantages than advantages to foreigners coming to live in the UK. The problem with statistics is that they're mostly faceless, lifeless bits of information, so I wanted to put them to some people with faces to see what they thought. London, do you think immigration is harming the UK?

Henri: I’m kind of in two minds. I don’t really know. I wanna say no, but I don’t think I know enough to make a properly informed decision on it.

VICE: Do you think that’s the case with a lot of people?
Yeah. It doesn’t harm me at all. I think it’s a good thing to have lots of diversity and multiculturalism and all that, but I think it probably affects people out of work the most, and they’re going to be the bitter people. True. 

Arno: No. I’m from Holland myself, and I think it’s positive and creates opportunities. The people who think that [it is harming in the UK] are, from my point of view, narrow minded.

Do you think people generalise immigrants?
Only that I’m cheap because I’m Dutch.

And you’re not?
No.

Cool.

Bob: Harming?

Yeah, do you think of it as more of a hindrance than help?
In what respect? In terms of the economy?

Yeah. Some people believe that immigrants are putting added pressure on the benefits system and public services, and aren’t contributing enough.
I don’t necessarily agree with that. I think that there are some immigrants who are quite hard working – I don’t think you can generalise. I think some people want to work, some people want to claim benefits, whether they’re immigrants or whether they’re from the country.

So what’s your personal stance?
I think immigration has got out of control in the last decade and I think that’s partly down to Labour – they didn’t have records of who was coming in and some might say it was a social experiment. While some people have integrated really well, there are examples of people who haven’t.

Okay. Very diplomatic.

Erin: Umm, no, I don’t. I think there are good and bad points about immigration, but I think they’re aiding our country, because most of the people who are coming into our country and are allowed to work are aiding our economy. But if they’re not aiding the economy in any way, then I feel like they’re going to be harmful towards our country.

So they’re harmful if they’re not aiding?
Yeah. But I don’t think we should really discriminate who comes into our country and who goes out. If we’re just living in this country and enjoying it, others should be able to enjoy it as well.

Saasid: There are pros and cons. Do the pros outweigh the cons?
Yes. Why?
It brings opportunities for people that they don’t get in their own country. Do you empathise with the people who think the cons outweigh the pros?
I do – I see the flipside. And I understand it, with regards to jobs and stuff. But we’ve all got our rights. British people go abroad as well, we take jobs in other countries and there’s no fuss about that. It works both ways.

Previously - Is Obama Any Better Than George W Bush?