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Not The Bnp


LoneWolf

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Shouldn't we try to sort this out locally - though be happy to accept advice? I wouldn't like to see the island become a battle ground for several British organisations fighting over this. That would result in really bad publicity for the island and distort the real situation.

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Shouldn't we try to sort this out locally - though be happy to accept advice? I wouldn't like to see the island become a battle ground for several British organisations fighting over this. That would result in really bad publicity for the island and distort the real situation.

 

good point, you don't what the Nazi's to find what we're up to. Has anyone had any contact with their MHK yet?

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Has anyone had any contact with their MHK yet?

I see on MR the Home Affairs Minister: "has rejected claims the Isle of Man needs to develop its own immigration laws. John Shimmin told MHK's that United Kingdom legislation, seen as relevant to the Island is currently being adapted. But members claimed stricter controls are needed, and Martyn Quayle referred to the recent visit of the British National Party. North Douglas MHK, John Houghton, said the government needs to know about everyone working over here. Mr Shimmin says in practical terms that would be a huge task".

 

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Tra la la!

 

I thought the treasury and national insurance people had already undertaken most of this huge task.

 

Once again the assumption is being made that immigrants are people who come to the island from outside the UK, when an immigration policy is also needed to address those people coming to the island from within the UK.

 

It is precisely by failing to address this issue that JS is going to do nothing but encourage the BNP and act as a recruiting seargent for them, and why I think he needs to urgently rethink this strategy. If we do not even have the support of our own politicians on this issue methinks we are in for a rough ride with the BNP.

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Does the Island really need MORE bigotry?

Being a finite size and having limited resources I'm sorry to say that it does - though 'selectivism' might be a better word to use. All countries are 'bigots' in the sense that their immigration policy is designed to filter out 'the weak and the undesirables' and select the best candidates to aid the development of their economic strategy whilst protecting their culture. All companies are 'bigots' because they do the same in selecting employees. In that sense the work-permit system is already 'bigoted' in that it protects IOM workers.

 

If the number of BNP members on the island really is 200 and really has increased from 30 over a year or so (which I currently suspect may be propaganda though who knows), then something clearly needs to be done to address this and keep this in check. If there are really 200 members then that would suggest far more sympathisers or 'concerned citizens'. The question is - what can we do about it? If they stand, fire-fighting the BNP during the next election is only one answer but it is not a solution.

 

IMHO one solution would be the consideration, discussion, development and announcement of a well thought out immigration policy based on ability and not race. Like Canada, perhaps this could be based on a points system of our own design possibly applied more stringently through something like the work-permit system (based on experiences, languages, qualifications etc. stated annually in the economic plan), whilst e.g. keeping in-check the number of pensioners retiring here, many of whom are doing so to avoid inheritance tax etc. by joining sons and daughters who have already moved here.

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IMHO one solution would be the consideration, discussion, development and announcement of a well thought out immigration policy based on ability and not race. Like Canada, perhaps this could be based on a points system of our own design possibly applied more stringently through something like the work-permit system (based on experiences, languages, qualifications etc. stated annually in the economic plan).

 

Precisely. I suggested exactly that during a radio broadcast from a PAG meeting a couple of months back (I'm not a member, by the way - I just went along to witness the debate). A man in the audience promptly heckled me and said the suggestion was racist, which is patently nonsensical, unless one is prejudiced enough to believe that dark-skinned people lack the talent to become highly educated or high earners. But it's precisely this inability to hold any sensible discussion on restricting innovation without being branded racist that gives the BNP a spurious respectability and allows them to position themselves as the defenders of free speech.

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Once again the assumption is being made that immigrants are people who come to the island from outside the UK, when an immigration policy is also needed to address those people coming to the island from within the UK.

 

People from the IOM are allowed to freely live and work in the UK. Is there any reason why people from the UK shouldn't be allowed to live and work here with the minimium of government interference?

 

Manx people with even 1 EU grandparent can freely live and work in the EU AFAIK. Is there any reason why people from the EU shouldn't be allowed to live and work on the IOM?

 

We aren't being deluged with people. No more so than, say, Devon or Yorkshire. People come and go. Ebb and flow.

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People from the IOM are allowed to freely live and work in the UK. Is there any reason why people from the UK shouldn't be allowed to live and work here with the minimium of government interference?

 

Manx people with even 1 EU grandparent can freely live and work in the EU AFAIK. Is there any reason why people from the EU shouldn't be allowed to live and work on the IOM?

 

We aren't being deluged with people. No more so than, say, Devon or Yorkshire. People come and go. Ebb and flow.

We would quickly become deluged with people and many Manx people would become unemployed when others came to work here more cheaply (Manx then probably forced to leave the Island in order to find work). The Isle of Man would effectively become just another county of England and it's culture would be destroyed within a few short years.

 

Devon is 2,594 square miles with run-off counties next door, whereas the Isle of Man is only 220 square miles with no run-off areas. With the current migration levels to the island, the island will have no alternative at some future date but to 'close its doors' to even the most able. That is why it needs its own immigration policy now so that the last twenty thousand (or whatever) that arrive are the most economically able and are those who are willing to support the continuation of its culture.

 

Moreover, the 'open door' policy you are inferring would do nothing but encourage the development of organisations such as the BNP.

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In regard to the MR interview it was a small part of approximately 20 minutes of questionning on the complex matter of immigration legislation. The main point being made was that we choose to incorporate appropriate legislation that suits the Island, without having to introduce the whole cost and bureaucracy of port controls which would affect all individuals travelling to/from the Island.

I have openly expressed my concern on the radio and in the Keys about the actions of the BNP, but feel they have already engendered more publicity than they deserve and will not add to that debate.

I agree wholeheartedly that immigration is a concern to a growing number of people on our Island, however the facts do not bear out the assumptions being made.

Our two main planks of protection are the work permit system and our benefits shcemes. People can only gain either if they are eligible to work and that a vacancy cannot be filled locally- people cannot arrive off the boat and attempt to claim any benefits, which is why we are unattractive to most illegal entrants. Of course there will be indivduals and employers who try and abuse the systems, but in general terms we have a much better protection than most jurisdictions.

This is not complacency and I acknowledge there are many issues which we must address - particularly ensuring that people coming to our Island to fill vacancies are integrated into our community and not excluded by economic or social factors. The matter is not going to go away, as we require a sufficient pool of labour to service the ever growing expectations of our society and this will inevitably require people to come here to live - the challenge will be to ensure that we all understand the benefits they bring and to make them join our community, rather than try to set up their own separated communities.

It will be interesting to see the Census figures when they are available, but current indicators are that there are fewer new residents arriving recently compared to previous times.

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