So HP,
when’s this long discussed trip to Normandy going to happen?
With the present commitment rate of the rogues concerned it’ll be about 2009 or 2010!

Oh and I think this sedate image you’re starting to portray might change next air-show season.

Later (Geezer).
Andy

I agree with you – there is a lot of mindless racism, hatred and bigotry. But one of the other problems is that accusations of being those things are levelled at those pointing out genuine concerns. The Fast Track Visa scheme, for instance, was massively abused (and who knows, may still be – haven’t been keeping up with the news recently) and not only by those applying, but also by those in charge of the scheme. When IT ‘specialities’ like Delphi or C++ programming are classed as ‘skills in short supply’ when every such vacancy on Jobserve gets 150+ applicants, you have to wonder why. Government bowing to pressure from greedy businesses who want cheap foreign labour? Surely not!

Surely Yes, I would think.
As I said above the owners of companies siting around at the golf club, reading the Telegraph and banging on about how bad the country is and supporting that nice Mr Howard are often the worst offenders when it comes to making a fast Buck.

It sickens me that so many others just fall into the trap of blaming the immigrants.

Blair once rather stupidly said that the class war is over. There, he and I disagree.
I reckon it hasn’t really started yet.

Later
A…

I’m not really sure what you’re trying to say Andy. Are you accusing me of being a bigot? If you are, please just say so and explain why you think that.

No Damien, I’m not accusing you of that at all.
I’m sorry if you got that impression.
However, I am fed up with much of the bigotry I read on here.

I was trying to illustrate that the type of bigotry apparent then, is still very apparent now.
We may have made laws to make it illegal but scratch away the surface and there it is, still there under the surface, blaming this week’s new immigrants who in a generation have integrated, acquired degrees and are paying taxes.
Sadly the bigots don’t seem to move on–they stay un-employable like the previous generation of bigots who no doubt sired them.

Later
A…

I blame the government as already mentioned, for allowing it to happen. Employers will naturally do anything possible to maximise profit.

Fifty or sixty years ago Britain actually had a manpower shortage what with the huge amount of rebuilding necessary after WWII, and the human losses too. Immigration made a lot more sense then, particularly of builders and labourers.

Correct Damien.
It still didn’t stop people putting signs up in pubs, clubs, restaurants and boarding houses saying ‘No Irish’ though.
They also put signs up saying ‘No Blacks’ too and other less acceptable names.

Bigotry is such an attractive condition, don’t you think?

Andy.

Building sites in London have been populated in low paid foreign workers for about ten years.
They work for about half what the locals will.
Thing is though, who do you blame, the workers or the employers?
Many of whom make a point of laying on none of the facilities that workers should have. They also still charge the jobs out at the same rate and often they’re the people that make the biggest noise about immigration.

Of course this is nothing new. It’s the way the Irish were treated fifty or sixty years ago.

Still doesn’t make it right though.

😮 In that case I am a JF 😮

I’m not.
British through and through.
Proud of it too.

As for just saying what people want to hear–well plainly these people don’t know me.

Well done Comet somebody else who deals in the truth, ignore the rest there either writing it because they think thats the way they should be, or they are JF’s themselves.

What’s a JF?

You want my answer, here it is. You say you have a problem with people who “beg off the state when they should be working”. Do you know what it is like to have to “beg off the state”?

I have no option but to “beg off the state” because Blair and all the other parties have effectively written off the over 25s. If you are unemployed and unfortunate enough to be over 25, then there is absolutely NO meaningful job training available to you whatsoever. OK, there is the New Deal, but for under 25s (who only have to be unemployed for 6 months before they qualify for this scheme) there is a training allowance paid for them to work towards a recognised qualification. The New Deal for over 25s (who have to be unemployed for 18 months to qualify, if that’s not discrimination then I don’t know what is) does not provide any money for training towards a qualification because it is assumed that all over 25s have the necessary experience. If you don’t have the relevant experience there is nothing available to you are you are on the scrapheap my friend.

In my entire life I don’t think I’ve ever heard such a complete, total and utter crock.
I’m 43 (almost) and I’ve just stated a second career–So am I too old?
I’ll give you a bit of free advice–GET A BETTER ATTITUDE.
Then take Norman Tebbit’s advice and get on your bike and look for work and stop whinging.
Andy