****storm : UK needs migration 'because native Britons are bloody stupid'

A pro-EU peer has said the UK needs immigration because native Britons are “bloody stupid”, provoking a backlash fromEurosceptics and the right-wing press.

Lord Kerr of Kinlochard, who co-wrote Article 50, said Britain needed “an injection of intelligent people from outside”, and claimed the Leave campaign won the referendum only by “cleverly outsourcing xenophobia and racism”.

Speaking at an event organised by the Institute for Government, Lord Kerr said: “In my view, immigration is the thing that keeps this country running.

"We native Brits are so bloody stupid that we need an injection of intelligent people, young people from outside who come in and wake us up from time to time.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/peer-lord-immigration-native-britons-bloody-stupid-kerr-migration-a7425336.html

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 1

Sorcerer

I completely disagree with his assertion that we are “bloody stupid" but allowing a smaller number of highly skilled individuals into the country is a good idea. The Brexit vote was won by dissatisfaction with the status quo and the establishment and disdain for EU bureaucracy.

Reply 2

That Bearded Man

Agree, there aren't enough intelligent UK citizens who can be trained up to fill the skill shortfall should all migrants suddenly vanish. Immigration is necessary for the UK to function.

Reply 3

username1221160

He isn't wrong. There are serveral million functionally illiterate British adults. They are never going to be much economic use to anyone. Then you've got people just unwilling to do jobs because they are lazy so sectors like agriculture have to look to migrants. Then you've got regions like the North East, with high number of unemployed people that sit on their backsides hoping jobs will come to them rather than learning from migrants and be willing to move. So, yeah, migration is certainly playing a role in propping up the UK.

Reply 4

Wōden

Original post by Quantex

Ignoring your obnoxiously snobby attitude, low skilled agricultural labour such as fruit/vegetable picking etc, was traditionally carried out by these "functionally illiterate British adults". Unscrupulous farm owners today only like to hire migrants over native Britons, because they know they can get away with paying less than the minimum wage. Restrict low skilled immigration and enforce the minimum wage laws properly and this won't be a problem any more.

Then you've got regions like the North East, with high number of unemployed people that sit on their backsides hoping jobs will come to them rather than learning from migrants and be willing to move.

As above, restrict low skilled immigration, enforce the minimum wage laws and native Britons will begin to fill the jobs in those regions currently being occupied by migrants.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 5

Mekkiii

I'd take native Brits over any of the people the open border EUphiliac's prefer to have.

Reply 6

jambojim97

I think that's a very poor point of debate, and a very dangerous one too. It's like Diane Abbot saying "all Brexiters are racist", it's like Clinton saying "Trump voters are deplorable", etc. etc....

Reply 7

username1221160

Original post by Wōden

If mentioning that far toomany Brits have low levels of education is skills constitutes obnoxiously snobby then so be it. Sadly it's a fact that we've been very keen to brush under the carpet. Fail to address it and we'll have another generation of working class kids facing an uphill struggle to escape their situation.

In my many years of working on/off in agriculture, I've never seen any evidence of paying below the minimum wage, but I've certainly seen a lot of Brits quit on their first day or be completely unsuitable for the job (mainly due to being to fat to do physical work). The sector can't afford to pay higher wages due to low margins, so restricting migration is just going to harm the industry.

As above, restrict low skilled immigration, enforce the minimum wage laws and native Britons will begin to fill the jobs in those regions currently being occupied by migrants.

I cited the North East for a reason. It has the highest rate of unemployment in England and long term economic problems that precede the levels of migration we've seen in the last 20 years. It also has the lowest percentage of foreign born people. Blaming migration simply doesn't hold much weight, but that doesn't stop the establishment press from doing it.

Reply 8

username2324315

Deary me, the right-wing have done their fair share of being offended this week, haven't they? I thought only loony liberals partook in such a thing :h:

Reply 9

Akamega

Can't really call him out for being politically correct, he said what a lot of people think. Fact of the matter is, globalisation and free movement is problematic for the less talented members of society, and it's fairly true that the brightest from neighbouring countries will outperform the British underclass.

Reply 10

Connor27

To be fair he ain't wrong; most of the work-shy sheeple that are anti immigration and supported Brexit are "bloody stupid" meanwhile, a friend of mine that only came to Britain 5 years ago from Poland is a constant A* student in a level maths and further maths.

I know I'd rather have him in the country than a toothless chav.

Reply 11

Trinculo

I love this crackhead notion that since the beginning of the EC/EU, only smart people from Europe have come to UK to work. Some smart people came, and a great many not-so-smart people came. That's the point of open borders - you don't get to choose. Anyone who wants to come can. People of marginal talent and no talent have often come to Britain, and we've had to let them come, besides the relatively low numbers of talented people - who would always have been welcome in Britain. Prior to Maastricht, pretty much anyone who could find work could travel around the EEC.

Reply 12

looloo2134

Original post by Connor27

Do you know this young Polish gentleman or young lady parents academic background. To be able to move to Britain from Poland with their children they would have to be middle-class be able to pay for the move. Also a non-English speaking school child gets £6000 a year of support than an English speaking child.

Also good and bad people come from Poland and other countries for example a Polish-born man is more likely to be prison in Britain than a British born white man.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/poles-top-foreign-inmate-list-3463695

Reply 13

Josb

So is he asking for intelligence tests for immigrants? I would fully support this.