ONS: net migration surges by 30%. Farage launches scathing attack on open borders.

[-:Undertaker:-]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-26367391

Net UK migration increased to 212,000 in the year to September 2013, pushing it further away from the Conservatives' target of below 100,000, according to official estimates.

The Office for National Statistics said the net flow - the numbers moving to the UK minus the numbers leaving it - rose from 154,000 in the previous year.

The increase has been driven by a big growth in the number of European Union citizens coming to Britain.

But No 10 said its aim had not changed.

Asked if David Cameron stood by his pledge to reduce net migration to under 100,000 by 2015, the PM's official spokesman said: "That is absolutely the objective and we are going to very much keep working towards that.

"We are putting in place what we believe are the right measures that go towards meeting that objective."

There was a rise in new arrivals from Poland, Spain, Italy and Portugal.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/poli...el-Farage.html

Mass immigration has left Britain 'unrecognisable', says Nigel Farage after net immigration surges by 30%

In one of his strongest attacks on immigration policy, Ukip leader says parts of country have been "taken over" by foreigners

- Ukip leader predicts party will trigger political earthquake in May's election
- Attacks political establishment and tells voters: 'Don't get mad, get even'
- Says Ukip pose the 'biggest threat' to the political establishment in modern times

The Ukip leader told how he went on a commuter train journey recently through south east London and did not hear anyone speaking English, leaving him feeling "awkward"

Mass immigration has left Britain an "unrecognisable" country that many people would not want to leave to their children and grandchildren, Nigel Farage has said.

In one of his strongest attacks on immigration policy, he said the arrival of migrants has some British people feeling that parts of the country are now alien to them.

The UK Independence Party leader said parts of the country had been "taken over" by foreigners and told how he caught a recent commuter train from London to Kent and had to wait for several stops before he heard English being spoken.

Mr Farage's comments come after official figures published on Thursday showed a shock rise of more than 30 per cent or 58,000 over the past year in net migration to Britain to 212,000, mainly accounted by migrants from southern European countries.

In his keynote speech to Ukip's spring conference in Torquay on Friday, Mr Farage said: "It's ordinary folk, it's ordinary families that are paying the financial price. But what about the social price of this?

"The fact that in scores of our cities and market towns, this country in a short space of time has frankly become unrecognisable.

"Whether it is the impact on local schools and hospitals, whether it is the fact in many parts of England you don't hear English spoken any more.

"This is not the kind of community we want to leave to our children and grandchildren."

Speaking to reporters later he said: "It's a genuine, legitimate, reasonable concern for people to say that imigration is acceptable but having whole areas taken over is difficult... it's happened on a scale that nobody could ever have imagined."

The Ukip leader told how he went on a commuter train journey recently through south east London and did not hear anyone speaking English, leaving him feeling "awkward" and "uncomfortable".

He said: "Do I think parts of Britain are a foreign land? I got the train the other night, it was rush hour, from Charing Cross.

"It was a stopper going out and we stopped at London Bridge, New Cross, Hither Green, it was not til we got past Grove Park that I could hear English being audibly spoken in the carriage.

"Does that make me feel slightly awkward? Yes it does. I wonder what is really going on. I am saying that and I am sure that is a view that will be reflected by three quarters of the population, perhaps even more."

He added: "I'm not saying that people on trains should be forced to speak English. That's a bloody stupid question.

"What I am saying is we now have nearly 10 per cent of our schools in this country where English is not the primary language of the homes those children come from."

Mr Farage warned that immigration had done damage to "cohesion" in British society.

He said: "So the answer is, I don't feel very comfortable in that situation and I don't think the majority of British people do.

"It doesn't mean I'm against anybody of different backgrounds or different cultures - far from it. I want us to have a sensible, open-minded immigration policy.

"But I think that what we've got, or what we've had, certainly, and what we continue to have when it comes to the EU is just wholly irresponsible.

"I think it's done great damage to the cohesion of our society and the well-being of working people in this country."

He also defended Ukip members against accusations that they are eccentric, insisting that they merely proved Ukip represented "a broadly based body of public opinion".

The Conservatives pledged to bring net immigration (a fraud figure anyway) under the 100,000 mark before 2015 - and yet again they've shown themselves to be either bare faced liars or so incompetent that they are completely unfit for office.

I think I can honestly say that if it wasn't for Farage and Ukip giving me a glimmer of hope that we can get some sanity into government and take back our country, then i'd sure consider emigration before I turn 30.

Thoughts? Do you agree with Farage? What do you think about the surge in immigration by 30%?

[Kardan]

Worth pointing out that net migration rising doesn't always mean more people are immigrating - less people leaving also has an influence on this.

Also worth noting that the number of people immigrating from Romania and Bulgaria didn't increase, but notice that the Telegraph doesn't want to make you aware of that

But yes, it was unlikely that the conservatives were ever going to reach the target they set - but they've not failed yet (although you would expect an increase in immigration when the 2014 stats are released, so it would be a miracle if they hit the target).

[-:Undertaker:-]

Worth pointing out that net migration rising doesn't always mean more people are immigrating - less people leaving also has an influence on this.

That's why I said how the net immigration figure is a fraud anyway. According to the government, if net immigration goes down to 0% this would be ideal.... in other words, if 300,000 educated Britons leave and are replaced by 300,000 uneducated Africans and Eastern Europeans - somehow that's a good thing. It's not.

Also worth noting that the number of people immigrating from Romania and Bulgaria didn't increase, but notice that the Telegraph doesn't want to make you aware of that

The article states does it not that the increase has come from southern Europe?

But yes, it was unlikely that the conservatives were ever going to reach the target they set - but they've not failed yet (although you would expect an increase in immigration when the 2014 stats are released, so it would be a miracle if they hit the target).

And it's a disgrace isn't it?

[Kardan]

That's why I said how the net immigration figure is a fraud anyway. According to the government, if net immigration goes down to 0% this would be ideal.... in other words, if 300,000 educated Britons leave and are replaced by 300,000 uneducated Africans and Eastern Europeans - somehow that's a good thing. It's not.



The article states does it not that the increase has come from southern Europe?



And it's a disgrace isn't it?

Would Southern Europe not be Spain, Portugal and Italy like the BBC article says? I would call Romania/Bulgaria East Europe.

[-:Undertaker:-]

Would Southern Europe not be Spain, Portugal and Italy like the BBC article says? I would call Romania/Bulgaria East Europe.

Yes? So what is your point exactly? I'm struggling to see it.

You accused the Telegraph of not wanting me to know that the bulk has come from southern Europe, which I then pointed out that the article in the Telegraph states very clearly (which I highlighted) that the rise has come from southern Europe. So what are you on about exactly? :S

Yet again you decide to debate a non-existant point about a newspaper rather than engaging with the actual topic; immigration.

[Kardan]

Yes? So what is your point exactly? I'm struggling to see it.

You accused the Telegraph of not wanting me to know that the bulk has come from southern Europe, which I then pointed out that the article in the Telegraph states very clearly (which I highlighted) that the rise has come from southern Europe. So what are you on about exactly? :S

Yet again you decide to debate a non-existant point about a newspaper rather than engaging with the actual topic; immigration.

Wait, what?

I said the article doesn't mention anything about Romania and Bulgaria, which is Eastern Europe.

You then mention Southern Europe, which I say is Spain, Portugal and Italy - which you agree? So it doesn't mention anything about Romania and Bulgaria.

- - - Updated - - -

Ok, so official data. The highest increases per country were for Poland, Spain, Italy and Portugal. So Romania/Bulgaria aren't even in the top 4 for most new immigrants.

If we look at the total number of foreign born people living in the UK, we have this list:

India 729
Poland 646
Pakistan 465
Republic of Ireland 403
Germany 304
Bangladesh 234
United States of America 217
South Africa 209
Nigeria 180
Jamaica 145
Kenya 142
France 136
Italy 133
Sri Lanka 131
Lithuania 130
Philippines 124
Zimbabwe 113
Australia 110
China 106
Romania 101
Somalia 91
Hong Kong 91
Canada 90
Portugal 90
Spain 83
Turkey 81
Ghana 80
Iran 74
Iraq 72
Latvia 69
Uganda 64
Slovakia 61
Afghanistan 60
Netherlands 59
Bulgaria 57

The numbers are thousands of people. Bulgaria is 35th on the list, Romania is 20th. So, I'm still not sure why people keep banging on about Romania and Bulgaria in particular It's also worth noting that the 24,000 new Romanians and Bulgarians that came over, we had 23,507 asylum applications in the same time period.