[Brillopad]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

The vast majority of these children are "native" British kids. Don't (falsely) make it into an immigration issue to distract from the fact that our current social policies and economic austerity policies are crippling hundreds of thousands of children for life.

I'm not saying it is purely an immigration issue, but clearly this is adding significant pressure to an already struggling system.

Common sense has to come into play as we simply can't cope with taking in more people, especially those that abuse our generosity with lies, no matter how desperate. The whole thing will collapse - then what?

[user104658]

Originally Posted by Brillopad

I'm not saying it is purely an immigration issue, but clearly this is adding significant pressure to an already struggling system.

Common sense has to come into play as we simply can't cope with taking in more people, especially those that abuse our generosity with lies, no matter how desperate. The whole thing will collapse - then what?

I agree that there are obviously limited resources, but I don't think it's particularly helpful to lump two issues (a refugee crisis and home-grown social poverty) together like this and hope to come up with a meaningful answer. Finding homes for refugee children is a totally different issues to the generation-upon-generation social deprivation of our own people that leads to homeless British kids. In both cases, just "finding them homes" is really putting a sticking plaster on a deep, infected wound... the true solutions to each problem run much deeper but are completely different.

[jaxie]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

I agree that there are obviously limited resources, but I don't think it's particularly helpful to lump two issues (a refugee crisis and home-grown social poverty) together like this and hope to come up with a meaningful answer. Finding homes for refugee children is a totally different issues to the generation-upon-generation social deprivation of our own people that leads to homeless British kids. In both cases, just "finding them homes" is really putting a sticking plaster on a deep, infected wound... the true solutions to each problem run much deeper but are completely different.

It's not really lumping together two issues is it though? They are related in the sense that a strain on resources through unchecked migration does affect those already struggling at home. And unchecked migration does force down wages which doesn't help the poor. These are sad facts of life, not views on migration.

[Brillopad]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

I agree that there are obviously limited resources, but I don't think it's particularly helpful to lump two issues (a refugee crisis and home-grown social poverty) together like this and hope to come up with a meaningful answer. Finding homes for refugee children is a totally different issues to the generation-upon-generation social deprivation of our own people that leads to homeless British kids. In both cases, just "finding them homes" is really putting a sticking plaster on a deep, infected wound... the true solutions to each problem run much deeper but are completely different.

They may be different issues but one is nevertheless impacting on the other. We simply cannot help everyone and should concentrate on those already here.

There is no doubt in my mind that genuine refugees will travel to the first safe country, not travel further to get to Britain for economic benefit.