Mr Walls takes me to task over UKIP’s desire to get control of our borders and cut mass immigration to a reasonable level.
Security aside, yes, there is a problem in terms of quality and quantity. 330,000 is the net immigration figure and the government has admitted that even if it reaches its target of building 200,000 houses a year, despite the housing crisis, half would go to migrants. Add in the pressures on health and education and with the national debt doubling in line with the immigration explosion, there is certainly a problem.
Three weeks ago, the Foreign Secretary admitted to a select committee that up to £700 a month could be claimed in benefits by low wage migrants and much of this was sent back to the home country.
As our home trained English speaking doctors (fed up with NHS working conditions) leave for Australia in their droves, the replacements come here from a variety of countries with the attendant communication problems. Of course, they leave behind a skills shortage in their home nations so even the migration of skilled labour is not the universal answer as claimed by many.
John Hayter
UKIP South Holland and The Deepings