Back to the topic – asylum seekers – those fleeing persecution and possible death I would hope require no further justification for their presence here.
-refugees fleeing from environmental or social disasters (wars) are increasing in numbers. Again there can be little argument to providing shelter and sustenance (as the UK public has shown towards Ukrainians).
-economic refugees – this is where the government gets its knickers in a twist – definitely a wedge! It has been happy for billionaires from wherever (with tainted money? No problem! Russian mafia, excellent! Hong Kong millionaire – this way). But god forbid a person of colour or a poor person paddle a bath tub across the channel and we will sent the might of the Royal British Navy against them and send them to Rwanda!
Am I being to cruel on the government – in this respect no. The policy is racist and elitist. Where the government have a point is the overheated housing mess they have created. The UK has a large population for a smallish island, and there are conflicts in some areas due to this. Amazingly places with low density populations like rural Lincolnshire seem to be very anti-migrants (racist) when they need the labour offered most! Typical lazy tory view – I will not bend my back picking asparagus – but also hate the migrants who do.
Housing policy in the UK does not exist in a coherent form. Tory ministers insist on the creation of tiny semi-detached houses with small gardens; when what is needed is housing suitable for each age group. Present housing policy isolates people and creates divisions.
The demographics of the UK indicate that the working population will fall significantly over the next half century. The median age is already 40.5 whilst Italy is 47. This can be ameliorated with migration if desired. But needs addressing. Parts of the country, especially the South-east are suffering from lack of investment in infrastructure to match house building. Rods, waste, sewage in rivers, etc. Maybe it will take a heat wave resulting in a water shortage – thus more shit in rivers; people dying from the heat, etc. to force a sensible sustainable policy.