"Will today be Ukip's 'political earthquake'? [...]" [edited title]

[Boiler 46,276]

Patently false.

Immigration has never been the means of survival of any EU nation.

[OnMyWayID 1,489]

I am not aware of any party that stood on that platform.

They don't have to.. They just have to not stop it like they have been.

[Boiler 46,276]

Labour did apologise.

[Jacque67 7,328]

Labour did apologise.

Blair hasn't though!

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

I disagree

[Boiler 46,276]

Blair hasn't though!

Nor will he.

Numbers always interest me.

Let us say just for discussion that any country you care to mention decides it will let in 1% of its population a year. 600,000 in UK, 3,000,000 in US.

Small numbers compared with the number of potential migrants and a tiny percentage of world wide population growth which I think is 200,000 a day.

Assuming population growth is otherwise flat that would double population in those countries in the normal life span of someone born today.

What will all those people eat? Drive? Drink? Where would they live.

US has a bit more space and resources, UK has not been able to feed itself for a very long time.

Something has to give, my guess is that it will not be pleasant. The main personal issue is whether I will be around long enough to see the bubble burst, timing is the only issue.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Patently false.

Immigration has never been the means of survival of any EU nation.

Realities change. Who knew? Fact is that all EU nations are both shrinking and aging. Without immigration, they're done.

[Boiler 46,276]

[OnMyWayID 1,489]

I disagree

With what?

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Now take the curves with low immigration and then start looking at your projected age distribution. You will then notice that pretty soon, you'll have more geezers on the island than the young ones will be able to support. That's just how the cookie crumbles.

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

With what?

I don't know, I have no clue what you guys are talking about

[OnMyWayID 1,489]

Now take the curves with low immigration and then start looking at your projected age distribution. You will then notice that pretty soon, you'll have more geezers on the island than the young ones will be able to support. That's just how the cookie crumbles.

We will know soon enough how it plays out.. Japan and China have themselves on this course.

[OnMyWayID 1,489]

I don't know, I have no clue what you guys are talking about

I'm kinda making it up on the fly for my part.. Something about a Brit that like Germans but is not particularly fond of Bulgarians (YOU know the difference!)

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

We will know soon enough how it plays out.. Japan and China have themselves on this course.

Indeed.

[Boiler 46,276]

Now take the curves with low immigration and then start looking at your projected age distribution. You will then notice that pretty soon, you'll have more geezers on the island than the young ones will be able to support. That's just how the cookie crumbles.

The trouble is there will be no cookies to crumble. UK has limited and depleting natural assets and limited land space. And fair large unemployment, well compared to my life time.

Something has to give.