Posted by Laurence Monkhouse on February 27, 2004 at 16:55:45 from 217.137.109.81 user Laurence_.
In Reply to: Re: Massive Overcrowding posted by Peter H on February 27, 2004 at 15:11:42:
About the time that I was born we were pleased enough to welcome Poles, Czechs and the like. And I've seen the memorials to the sacrifice many of them made for us.
When I was at college some of the most brilliant teachers were immigrants (there - I've said it) from Eastern Europe - although it was often hard to understand either their accents or the depth of their philosophy I now know that I owe them a great deal.
I believe that immigrants of many cultures add imeasurably to the quality of life in this country. I don't agree with some of the things they do or say (I don't for that matter agree with all the things that those born and bred in the briar patch do or say), but that doesn't detract from the value that they add . And I maintain that it is not their presence that has led in any significant way to modern estate developments which are the most visible sign of 'overcrowding' but the factors I listed earlier.
Apologies if my phrasing seemed sarcastic - this is inappropriate in this forum. But as a Planner I did find it very hard without overstating the case to get the message across to people living in this District that new houses are primarily for the people who already live in the area, and they are needed for the reasons I set out.
There can't be many people in this country whose ancestors weren't immigrants - and in many cases not too far back either. Like the Leader of the Conservative Party.
AR, who we all venerate, actually brought in an immigrant as his wife, sailing quite close to the legal wind in doing so, and he did write for a left of centre newspaper.