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I'm a lefty only relative to you but basically more interested in objective reality than party politics.  As you only deal in slogans the following isn't really aimed at you but anyone who might believe what you say might be true and whose views are not set in concrete. Nobody is pretending that immigration doesn't have some significant downsides and that it hasn't been mismanaged by successive governments. However, I have not ever seen a credible piece of an analysis that shows anything other than the cost of health care and pensions that older people have decided they deserve being an insupportable burden for younger generations who are less numerous. They are already more highly taxed than any of their predecessors were before them if you take into account student loans. Looking forward demographics and the fiscal position of the UK are only going to make that worse. As the birth rate is falling, there seems to be unanimity that the only way to avoid a major crisis is by evening out the generational unevenness by bringing more young people into the country. We had an excellent system for doing this when we were part of the Single Market and there was Freedom of Movement but now we need to bring people in from a much wider geographical area. Donald Trump could effectively end immigration because the dollar is a reserve currency (and therefore less subject to negative international market sentiment) and the US economy is riding an AI generated boom (or bubble if you read the FT this week). Let's just say a Nigel Farage became Prime Minister and announced a zero target for immigration — the bond markets would price in a significant deterioration in our GDP growth and fiscal position meaning that the massive amount we already spend on interest would rise further risking a spiral into economic collapse.  People with a dislike of foreigners have already dictated policy in this country and made us all poorer. I'd rather they didn't do it again but it looks like decisions are going to continue to be made on the basis of grievance rather than objective truth. However this ends with the unravelling of the NHS and the unlocking of the triple lock. 

Gordon Southwell ● 18d

Completely out of control and unvetted immigration is not killing the UK because it is not happening. People applying to live and work in this country are subject to the widest range of checks possible based on available databases (though I understand our access to information has been reduced since Brexit). The loosest controls on immigration in recent years was not introduced by the left but by the administrations of Johnson and Truss who believed that this would stimulate economic growth and led to a massive surge in arrivals. Although the mishandled it, they were recognising the hard truth that with our aging population and low birth rate, more young people have to come to this country if we still want triple lock pensions and a free at the point of delivery health service. Even Johnson and Triss didn't believe in uncontrolled immigration and checks remained in place. I've never met anyone, on the left or right, who doesn't believe in no controls or vetting. It is a fantasy that exists only in your head.

Obviously vetting is impossible for people arriving from failed states. These make up a very small proportion of arrivals. I'd be interested to see what your proposal would be on how to handle this problem. We are likely to soon see a renewed wave of people from Iran — if a young man presents himself in this country and says he wants asylum because he watched his sister being hung in a public square because she protested against the Islamic Republic — how will you check he doesn't have a criminal record — will you ask the IRCG?

Gordon Southwell ● 19d