Specop 007
Diamond Member
An interesting article. I've tagged on a few of the replies to the article at the bottom.
Considering the numbers leaving I have to assume the reasons given in the comments to the article are valid. It seems the same story it repeated...crime, education, healthcare and to a lesser extent political correctness and invasion of privacy.
It seems maybe the gun free open arms governmunt subsidized way of living isnt all its cracked up to be. Its one thing when a vouple people here and there complain about it, but obviously the problems have gotten bad enough that Britons are leaving in droves.
Does anyone have emmigration figures offhand for other first world countries? I wonder if this is in line with other countries (Germany, USA, Australia etc) or if this is signifigantly higher.
Article
Exodus: A million Brits emigrate while three million enter
by STEVE DOUGHTYLast updated at 12:08pm on 3rd November 2006
Reader comments (53)
More than a million Britons have fled the country to lead new lives abroad since the turn of the Millennium, new figures showed.
The number of British citizens who emigrate each year has gone up by more than a third since the mid-1990s.
And while more and more people are quitting to live in France, Spain, Australia or America, fewer Britons are coming back from abroad to live at home than at any time in a decade.
The picture of an increasing flow of emigrants came in an official count of migration that showed foreigners continue to flood into this country in unprecedented numbers.
The Office for National Statistics said that 565,000 people came into the country last year - around 1,500 every day. It found that 474,000 of these were foreigners intending to live in Britain.
That means that the population grew by around 500 people a day because of the greater number of immigrants than emigrants.
However the reckoning of immigration showed only 80,000 Eastern Europeans, a figure thought by most independent analysts to be hugely below the real level. The count of those leaving - likely to be more accurate - showed that for the second year running around 200,000 Britons left the country: the total going abroad to live was 380,000 including 198,000 UK citizens.
Numbers of Britons emigrating now compare with just under 150,000 in 1997, a level that held steady throughout the 1990s. But the emigration boom since the turn of the Millennium shows that, by the official count, 1.1 million Britons have left the country in six years while fewer than 600,000 have returned from abroad - an overall loss of around half a million British citizens. The wave of emigration comes in a week when the Daily Mail has serialised the letters of former Tory minister George Walden to his fictional son, advising him on whether to leave the country.
Mr Walden's advice - which touched on the anxieties of millions - was driven by a growing sense of unease at the direction of life and politics in this country. Yesterday analyst Robert Whelan of the Civitas think tank said: "People are emigrating because of a sense of hopelessness about the problems here."
"They see us going round and round in circles but nothing is ever done about the big problems like education, health care, crime." "There is a growing sense that politicians will never deal with the problems. There is a lot of talk, then people pay more tax and get less back for it."
"So they think about taking the drastic step of emigration."
He added: "For many people this is an act of despair, and there can be more disappointment when they get where they are going."
"Many of the countries people head for turn out to be less than Utopia."
The figures from the ONS do not record where emigrants were going.
But a count of British passport holders abroad issued by the Foreign Office earlier this year indicated that the most popular destinations in Europe were France and Spain. Half a million Britons live in the US and more than 600,000 people in Australia hold UK passports.
The wave of emigration is rising as numbers of migrants coming in remain at historic levels.
Numbers of immigrants were greater than those of emigrants by 185,000. Levels were similar to those for 2004, when the boom in Eastern European immigration began in earnest after Poland and seven other Eastern European countries joined the European Union in April of that year. However, the ONS said that since 2004, only 113,000 Eastern European workers have been added to the long-term population of the country. This figure compares with Government estimates which say 600,000 have arrived. Sir Andrew Green, chairman of the Migrationwatch think tank, said: "These figures confirm that we are facing the largest wave of immigration in our history."
"The level of immigration is now four times that of 1997 and, if these figures are right, the bulk of immigration is not from Eastern Europe which accounts for just over one in five."
However, Sir Andrew raised concerns about the ONS data on Eastern European arrivals. "The estimate for Eastern Europe looks dubious," he said, adding that "64,000 looks very low." The Government's migration figures are mainly based on the International Passenger Survey, a poll taken among passengers passing through air and sea ports.
It has long been notoriously unreliable, and the ONS is now desperately searching for new ways of measuring migration. Downing Street said yesterday that migration was a major help to the economy. The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "People have to ask themselves what would be the impact if we didn't have the contribution that migration is making to our economy in terms of inflation and in terms of the jobs market where we have 80,000 vacancies still."
Critics say that immigration has destabilised communities and made it hard for existing workers to get or keep jobs at decent pay rates.
They point out that while numbers of jobs in the economy have been growing, unemployment has been rising and it currently at 5.5 per cent, the highest since 2000.
One estimate last week said that 90,000 Britons are jobless because of Eastern European immigration.
From the Daily Mail website:
Reader comments (53)
53 people have commented on this story so far. Tell us what you think below.
We too might be joining the masses leaving the 'sinking ship'.Brought up in the 'dull' fifties, I have seen huge changes. Many people think that us 'oldies' can't cope with change but I always say that we can cope with change as long as it's for the better. This present Government has done more to destroy this country than any of the previous ones. They repeatedly ignore the real problems in this country, crime, education, NHS , pensions, immigration etc.We've had enough.
- Anon, sussex
My advice to the young--get out while you can.I no longer recognise the Britain of my youth,it has become a foreign country!.
- Patricia, Jarrow. Tyne and Wear.
Anyone see a connection?
- John, Manchester
I left 10 years ago, and never been sorry for one single second. Wild horses could not drag me back to that pathetic country that is England. And why? Well, crime, taxes, hospitals, insane political correctness, insane human rights laws, a government that does not give a damn about true English citizens, transport, banning Xmas traditions - Easter traditions - and any long standing English tradition in favour of alien cultures. England is sick, very sick. Last one out please turn off the lights. Lets leave it to the foreigners, because that is exactly what England is geared for now.
Never ever coming back, and glad of it. I feel extremely sorry for those left. I can sit here now and laugh at what my once beautiful and proud country has become. Still, it makes me extremely sad all the same. Tony Blair, you will go down in history as the man who destroyed England and everything British. I hope you're happy. Winston Churchill is turning in his grave. What exactly did we fight for ?
- Simon, Switzerland.
That few? I thought it would have been more leaving the country. I am 63 and have lived in the UK all my life, but I don't know how much longer I will stay.
- Allan, Medway, Kent, UK
Nothing new there then, the amount of us POM's down here has gone nuts in about the last 18 months, when myself, the Mrs and our 2 kids emigrated here 2 years ago it was quite a novelty hearing a Brit accent. Now they are 2 a penny!
- Steve, New Zealand
My husband and I decided to move to France three years ago for the reasons similar to those stated by George Walden. We have two young children aged ten and six years and cannot fault the education and health system that is offered here. Our medical care is funded up to 70% by the state and we pay the rest either by private insurance or pay as-you-go so to speak. The second option can be expensive, recently we paid 220 euros towards our daughter MRI scan; but when you consider she only had to wait 10 days for it, it suddenly seemed very resonable!
Education is firm and disciplined. Every child learns to writes in the same style handwriting. They all learn at the same pace. But the teacher is in control of her/his class. There is respect between teacher and pupil here and long may it last.
I would not consider returning to the UK in the forseeable future. The standard of living we have found here far outweighs anything the UK could offer.
- Mme Carr, Cleguerec, France
Here in Florida, I come into contact with Brits who have moved here to live and work. There is a British pub nearby and a British market. My barber is British. A lot of building contractors are British, including one I hired to install storm panels. In my opinion, Britain is losing a lot of entreprenerial citizens who would have stimulated the UK economy.
- Frank Martin, Tampa, Florida, USA
There would be millions more emigrating if they had the chance.
- Jm, Surrey
As the East Germans used to say, before the wall came down: Remind the last person to switch the lights off.
- Roswhita, London
Freezing of state pensions prevents many of us from moving outside the EC ... if I were 20 years younger I would be long gone from these shores. Just think what a difference it would make to ... a)the overstrained health services, and ... b) the considerable effect of loss of the 'grey' vote when it comes to a general election.
- J Chambers, Bognor Regis. UK
Spot on commentary. I have lived abroad for nearly 6 years, and while I am proud of my British roots, my values and experiences are rooted in the past. I despair of the way our country has changed with the 'thought police', political correctness, lack of authority and respect, invasion of privacy, out of control taxation, dirty hospitals and dangerous, violent street crime. Many ex-pats I talk to are actually afraid of returning to Britain - crazy isn't it.
- Hilary Connon, Thailand
I am one of those that left, and I am glad that I did every day that I wake up here.
It is very hard to do but once the first year or so goes by it becomes much easier and you settle in and get used to the way things are. I used to have bolts and locks on everything in England, I did the same when I got here and my neighbours just thought I was mad because you really can leave your door open here and not have to worry. I live near a beach, the people are friendly, I earn much more than I did in England and I get to keep more of it, the opportunities are far greater and people like me because I am English, in the UK that has become a crime.
Do yourselves a favour and get out, the place is a timebomb waiting to go off.
- Jim, California, USA
Well who can blame people. This country is more a Police State, a despotic political dictatorship than ever. I know I'll be heading out (again) soon. I'm afraid to say that Australia is getting just as bad because the same criminal cabal that runs America and Britian run Australia. I've tried there twice (over twenty years total).
- Peter, Chesterfield, UK
I'm sure it is your best and brightest leaving.
- Jackie Tseng, Orlando, USA
I am one of those million Brits who escaped from the United Blairdom some 4 years ago and I thank my lucky stars every day. I used to be proud to be British and it is so sad to see the country deteriorate so quickly. Where do you think the Blair family will emigrate to when he is outed!
- Geoff Lowe, Tauranga, New Zealand
The only thing that supprises me is that anybody is suprised, there's no law and order here anymore, more and more stupid ridiculous forms to fill in, and the increased unwanted and un required surveilance of ordinary people is enough to drive anybody out!
- Ian, Liskeard, Cornwall
They're voting with their feet, aren't they?
- Jacky Macguire, Dubai, UAE
Labours biggest export is people. It is all down to this governments stupid ideas, that people want to leave.
I for one cannot see my future in the country where I was born and raised, under the costly control of Labour. The next election result will determine if I go, more of loony Labour policies will certainly be the end of Britain.
- John, Clacton, England
Of course we are coming abroad it is a better life you can live a third cheaper out here (plus we have not got Tony).
- Frederick Pyatt, Alora, Spain
I myself emigrated because of the dire straits that the UK is going to be in due to the amount of immigrants flooding in. We now live in New Zealand and we doubt we will ever return home to England unless things change.
- Jo, New Zealand
The latest headlines on the growing UK population estimated as a net increase of 500 per day belies the true impact of these appalling figures. What this means in reality is that we need to find an extra 500 peoples worth of resource in water, services, accommodation etc.
Also of the 1,000 people a day leaving a high proportion are going to be our talented youngsters who are fed up with the appalling state of this country and the cost of living here along with people that have contributed to the wealth of this country and our now taking the savings and pensions and spending them in another country. In would seem we are importing low skilled workers to swell an already over bloated service industry that constitutes nearly 80% of our workforce.
Gordon Brown may as well forget hosting the 2018 World Cup as the Wembley Stadium will have to be knocked down to provide housing for the ever increasing population!
- Keith Saunders, Northallerton, UK
What econmic twaddle from Downing Street. Immigration just creates its own self feuling fire for more and more. No country in the world is relying on immigration to boost its economy except Britain. The the consequences of current policies are going to be biblical in proportion when the money runs out.
- Chris, Woodbridge
I am losing my family to Australia, because my son says he doesn't want to bring his son up in this country, he says that the way of life here has gone, that it's PC gone mad, that there is no justice for the Innocent am not in a position to ever be able to go and see them, thank you Britain for losing my family for me.
- C.Young, UK
It would be far more but years of low wages and high taxes have left us broke. Oh to live anywhere but here.
- J.M.Hixon, Rayleigh. Essex
MigrationWatch seems to be the only source of independent and realistic information on this subject.
The tragedy is that with all the resources - and our taxes - at its disposal, the Government is utterly incapable of getting a grip.
- David Jefferis, Brill, Bucks
I'm not surprised the number of people emigrating has risen. This once proud nation is a joke. The wars that my great grandfather and grandfather faught in to preserve the freedom of this country has been in vain. We have opened the floodgates for criminals, terrorists, racists to roam freely and plot all sort of harm to the honest hardworking citizens. They accept all the benefits of this country, but condemn it also because it's not like the country they have left. In that case they are free to leave! Maybe then the people who have emigrated might return. Food for thought!
- Joanna, Newcastle
I can understand their dilemma. After spending the last 10 years in the Southern hemisphere and having a much improved lifestyle I have returned to the UK for business and family reasons. I am already considering my next move and I don't think it will be to remain here. The people of this country and I don't mean all the immigrants, are being treated badly. There are too many do gooders poking their noses in to other peoples business, and an inept government telling lies every day to the public to justify their existence. I have had enough all ready, let me out.
- Diane, Devon
The British will leave in their droves and never look back. Great Britain shall always be known as the land of yore.
- Steve Webster, Amsterdam, Netherlands (exiled)
Most alarming if the 40% tax payers are leaving only to be replaced by a much higher no of unskilled immigrants who live off the state. The logical solution is to close the door.
- Richard, London
Who can blame anyone wanting out of this country?
- Kate, Newcastle
Thanks to this useless government, what is there to stay for?
- Graham Richard Shatford, Upper Benefield, England.
I have met many people who will go as soon as elderly relatives that they feel responsible for come to the end of their days. Canada and Australia seem to be favorite places.
- Jane, Worthing.
The numbers of Britons leaving will only get larger. Afterall, many of us feel there is nothing left here for us. Jobs are dwindling thanks to mass immigration. The Government seeks to punish those who have the temerity to work hard and save for their old age. They want to spy on every single aspect of our lives, snooping in our rubbish, droves of clipboard wielding inspectors insensitively tramping through our homes, id cards holding all our most private and personal data, chips in our cars and on our travel cards recording every single journey we make on public transport or in our private car, cctv round every corner and on every building, then the final indignity, they want to electronically chip us so they can tag us personally every step we make. Privacy will cease to exist. You will not even be private in your own bedroom at night. Why shouldn't we leave, there is nothing left here.
- Sarah, London, England
As this balanced article points out many of those who emigrate from the UK are dissatisfied with things in their new country. It is thus unfair to blame New Labour and Blair for this exodus.
Many of the emigrants seem to find something to whinge about wherever they are.
My advice is to look on the bright side. Despite the implication of newspaper headlines there are far more good people out there than bad.
Also it's the focus on and worship of material wealth, and the constant worry that other people are better off, that both leads to crime and to peoples' dissatisfaction with their lot.
- Malcolm Williamson, WGC, UK
To those who voted Tony and his cronies back in, thanks for nothing. I hope you are awake at the next election.
- Helen, UK
Living in Spain is difficult - new language, a very different way of doing things... but, no yobs, no crippling council tax, no speed cameras, no obsession with political correction. Spain looks after its own first and foreigners are way down the list - fair enough I say! The UK should do the same if it wants to keep its citizens.
- Michael Orr, Malaga, Spain
A million Brits have gone since 2000 and what have they been replaced by; twice that number of peoples looking for hand-outs.
- Ryk, London
as I have said in the past years this country will not be the same in the next 50 years. The old England will be just a few lines in history. It is too late the go back to the old way of life. The idea that this country will be a Christian one in the future looks dim.
- Victor Arram, UK
The question is; why stay? Answers on the back of a first class stamp please.
Also the statistics on emigration are as inaccurate as those for immigration - not everyone tells the Government that they are leaving; Spain alone has thousands of ex-pats living there unofficially. Like all Government statistics ? garbage in, garbage out. The numbers that you use in the article are as reliable as the CPI; hands up all those whose rate of inflation is 2.4%.
- H Hall, Saulieu, France
I have just returned from Spain where thousands of Brits have moved to. They were seeking a way out of the despair caused by the destruction of a once wonderful country since New Labour came to power. They admit it is not Utopia but they have a good life in the sunshine where they are not robbed of their money by Gordon Brown's taxes. Many more will join them in the future. The United Kingdom has lost its way and will take decades to recover even when these maniacs who govern us have been replaced.
- Bea, England
Can't say I blame them, if I were young enough, would join them!
- Bob Glendinning, UK
I lived abroad for 9 years. I learned a new language, integrated, had a very good standard of living. Yet I returned to the UK three years ago. Why? Because I'm English and the UK is the best place in the world to live.
- Bob Roberts, UK
I would hazard a guess that tax payers are leaving and welfare recipiants are arriving. Labour don't care, more voters are on the way!
- Nick, Gold Coast, Australia
Only wish I met the criteria to emigrate to Australia or New Zealand, to get as far away as possible from B'liar and his squalid government!
- Stratford, Hants.
Is it any wonder after Gordon Brown has destroyed everyones future.
- Roger Kingston, york
I don't blame them. If I could afford to emigrate I would. This government (local and central has gone mad). This wonderful country is fast losing its identity and its culture. We are being spied upon from our street corners to our dustbins. Very soon we will be taxed if we have a nice view from our house, if we have good schools and have a low crime rate. All logic, reason and common sense have flown out the window. I feel sorry for my children, having to grow up in a nanny state where individuality, free speech and freedom of thought have been virtually eroded away.
- David, Brighton, Sussex
Rats, sinking ships, no light at end of tunnel are all words that come to mind.
- Steve, Bristol, Great Britain
I completely agree that TB has destroyed this country. He has let anyone including thousands of criminal in with all the consequences that involves.
- Morris, Mold, Flinthsire
Noo Labour for Noo Brits - with uncontrolled immigration it'll only be the foreigners voting for them next time.
- Freddie, Northants
Considering the numbers leaving I have to assume the reasons given in the comments to the article are valid. It seems the same story it repeated...crime, education, healthcare and to a lesser extent political correctness and invasion of privacy.
It seems maybe the gun free open arms governmunt subsidized way of living isnt all its cracked up to be. Its one thing when a vouple people here and there complain about it, but obviously the problems have gotten bad enough that Britons are leaving in droves.
Does anyone have emmigration figures offhand for other first world countries? I wonder if this is in line with other countries (Germany, USA, Australia etc) or if this is signifigantly higher.
Article
Exodus: A million Brits emigrate while three million enter
by STEVE DOUGHTYLast updated at 12:08pm on 3rd November 2006
Reader comments (53)
More than a million Britons have fled the country to lead new lives abroad since the turn of the Millennium, new figures showed.
The number of British citizens who emigrate each year has gone up by more than a third since the mid-1990s.
And while more and more people are quitting to live in France, Spain, Australia or America, fewer Britons are coming back from abroad to live at home than at any time in a decade.
The picture of an increasing flow of emigrants came in an official count of migration that showed foreigners continue to flood into this country in unprecedented numbers.
The Office for National Statistics said that 565,000 people came into the country last year - around 1,500 every day. It found that 474,000 of these were foreigners intending to live in Britain.
That means that the population grew by around 500 people a day because of the greater number of immigrants than emigrants.
However the reckoning of immigration showed only 80,000 Eastern Europeans, a figure thought by most independent analysts to be hugely below the real level. The count of those leaving - likely to be more accurate - showed that for the second year running around 200,000 Britons left the country: the total going abroad to live was 380,000 including 198,000 UK citizens.
Numbers of Britons emigrating now compare with just under 150,000 in 1997, a level that held steady throughout the 1990s. But the emigration boom since the turn of the Millennium shows that, by the official count, 1.1 million Britons have left the country in six years while fewer than 600,000 have returned from abroad - an overall loss of around half a million British citizens. The wave of emigration comes in a week when the Daily Mail has serialised the letters of former Tory minister George Walden to his fictional son, advising him on whether to leave the country.
Mr Walden's advice - which touched on the anxieties of millions - was driven by a growing sense of unease at the direction of life and politics in this country. Yesterday analyst Robert Whelan of the Civitas think tank said: "People are emigrating because of a sense of hopelessness about the problems here."
"They see us going round and round in circles but nothing is ever done about the big problems like education, health care, crime." "There is a growing sense that politicians will never deal with the problems. There is a lot of talk, then people pay more tax and get less back for it."
"So they think about taking the drastic step of emigration."
He added: "For many people this is an act of despair, and there can be more disappointment when they get where they are going."
"Many of the countries people head for turn out to be less than Utopia."
The figures from the ONS do not record where emigrants were going.
But a count of British passport holders abroad issued by the Foreign Office earlier this year indicated that the most popular destinations in Europe were France and Spain. Half a million Britons live in the US and more than 600,000 people in Australia hold UK passports.
The wave of emigration is rising as numbers of migrants coming in remain at historic levels.
Numbers of immigrants were greater than those of emigrants by 185,000. Levels were similar to those for 2004, when the boom in Eastern European immigration began in earnest after Poland and seven other Eastern European countries joined the European Union in April of that year. However, the ONS said that since 2004, only 113,000 Eastern European workers have been added to the long-term population of the country. This figure compares with Government estimates which say 600,000 have arrived. Sir Andrew Green, chairman of the Migrationwatch think tank, said: "These figures confirm that we are facing the largest wave of immigration in our history."
"The level of immigration is now four times that of 1997 and, if these figures are right, the bulk of immigration is not from Eastern Europe which accounts for just over one in five."
However, Sir Andrew raised concerns about the ONS data on Eastern European arrivals. "The estimate for Eastern Europe looks dubious," he said, adding that "64,000 looks very low." The Government's migration figures are mainly based on the International Passenger Survey, a poll taken among passengers passing through air and sea ports.
It has long been notoriously unreliable, and the ONS is now desperately searching for new ways of measuring migration. Downing Street said yesterday that migration was a major help to the economy. The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "People have to ask themselves what would be the impact if we didn't have the contribution that migration is making to our economy in terms of inflation and in terms of the jobs market where we have 80,000 vacancies still."
Critics say that immigration has destabilised communities and made it hard for existing workers to get or keep jobs at decent pay rates.
They point out that while numbers of jobs in the economy have been growing, unemployment has been rising and it currently at 5.5 per cent, the highest since 2000.
One estimate last week said that 90,000 Britons are jobless because of Eastern European immigration.
From the Daily Mail website:
Reader comments (53)
53 people have commented on this story so far. Tell us what you think below.
We too might be joining the masses leaving the 'sinking ship'.Brought up in the 'dull' fifties, I have seen huge changes. Many people think that us 'oldies' can't cope with change but I always say that we can cope with change as long as it's for the better. This present Government has done more to destroy this country than any of the previous ones. They repeatedly ignore the real problems in this country, crime, education, NHS , pensions, immigration etc.We've had enough.
- Anon, sussex
My advice to the young--get out while you can.I no longer recognise the Britain of my youth,it has become a foreign country!.
- Patricia, Jarrow. Tyne and Wear.
Anyone see a connection?
- John, Manchester
I left 10 years ago, and never been sorry for one single second. Wild horses could not drag me back to that pathetic country that is England. And why? Well, crime, taxes, hospitals, insane political correctness, insane human rights laws, a government that does not give a damn about true English citizens, transport, banning Xmas traditions - Easter traditions - and any long standing English tradition in favour of alien cultures. England is sick, very sick. Last one out please turn off the lights. Lets leave it to the foreigners, because that is exactly what England is geared for now.
Never ever coming back, and glad of it. I feel extremely sorry for those left. I can sit here now and laugh at what my once beautiful and proud country has become. Still, it makes me extremely sad all the same. Tony Blair, you will go down in history as the man who destroyed England and everything British. I hope you're happy. Winston Churchill is turning in his grave. What exactly did we fight for ?
- Simon, Switzerland.
That few? I thought it would have been more leaving the country. I am 63 and have lived in the UK all my life, but I don't know how much longer I will stay.
- Allan, Medway, Kent, UK
Nothing new there then, the amount of us POM's down here has gone nuts in about the last 18 months, when myself, the Mrs and our 2 kids emigrated here 2 years ago it was quite a novelty hearing a Brit accent. Now they are 2 a penny!
- Steve, New Zealand
My husband and I decided to move to France three years ago for the reasons similar to those stated by George Walden. We have two young children aged ten and six years and cannot fault the education and health system that is offered here. Our medical care is funded up to 70% by the state and we pay the rest either by private insurance or pay as-you-go so to speak. The second option can be expensive, recently we paid 220 euros towards our daughter MRI scan; but when you consider she only had to wait 10 days for it, it suddenly seemed very resonable!
Education is firm and disciplined. Every child learns to writes in the same style handwriting. They all learn at the same pace. But the teacher is in control of her/his class. There is respect between teacher and pupil here and long may it last.
I would not consider returning to the UK in the forseeable future. The standard of living we have found here far outweighs anything the UK could offer.
- Mme Carr, Cleguerec, France
Here in Florida, I come into contact with Brits who have moved here to live and work. There is a British pub nearby and a British market. My barber is British. A lot of building contractors are British, including one I hired to install storm panels. In my opinion, Britain is losing a lot of entreprenerial citizens who would have stimulated the UK economy.
- Frank Martin, Tampa, Florida, USA
There would be millions more emigrating if they had the chance.
- Jm, Surrey
As the East Germans used to say, before the wall came down: Remind the last person to switch the lights off.
- Roswhita, London
Freezing of state pensions prevents many of us from moving outside the EC ... if I were 20 years younger I would be long gone from these shores. Just think what a difference it would make to ... a)the overstrained health services, and ... b) the considerable effect of loss of the 'grey' vote when it comes to a general election.
- J Chambers, Bognor Regis. UK
Spot on commentary. I have lived abroad for nearly 6 years, and while I am proud of my British roots, my values and experiences are rooted in the past. I despair of the way our country has changed with the 'thought police', political correctness, lack of authority and respect, invasion of privacy, out of control taxation, dirty hospitals and dangerous, violent street crime. Many ex-pats I talk to are actually afraid of returning to Britain - crazy isn't it.
- Hilary Connon, Thailand
I am one of those that left, and I am glad that I did every day that I wake up here.
It is very hard to do but once the first year or so goes by it becomes much easier and you settle in and get used to the way things are. I used to have bolts and locks on everything in England, I did the same when I got here and my neighbours just thought I was mad because you really can leave your door open here and not have to worry. I live near a beach, the people are friendly, I earn much more than I did in England and I get to keep more of it, the opportunities are far greater and people like me because I am English, in the UK that has become a crime.
Do yourselves a favour and get out, the place is a timebomb waiting to go off.
- Jim, California, USA
Well who can blame people. This country is more a Police State, a despotic political dictatorship than ever. I know I'll be heading out (again) soon. I'm afraid to say that Australia is getting just as bad because the same criminal cabal that runs America and Britian run Australia. I've tried there twice (over twenty years total).
- Peter, Chesterfield, UK
I'm sure it is your best and brightest leaving.
- Jackie Tseng, Orlando, USA
I am one of those million Brits who escaped from the United Blairdom some 4 years ago and I thank my lucky stars every day. I used to be proud to be British and it is so sad to see the country deteriorate so quickly. Where do you think the Blair family will emigrate to when he is outed!
- Geoff Lowe, Tauranga, New Zealand
The only thing that supprises me is that anybody is suprised, there's no law and order here anymore, more and more stupid ridiculous forms to fill in, and the increased unwanted and un required surveilance of ordinary people is enough to drive anybody out!
- Ian, Liskeard, Cornwall
They're voting with their feet, aren't they?
- Jacky Macguire, Dubai, UAE
Labours biggest export is people. It is all down to this governments stupid ideas, that people want to leave.
I for one cannot see my future in the country where I was born and raised, under the costly control of Labour. The next election result will determine if I go, more of loony Labour policies will certainly be the end of Britain.
- John, Clacton, England
Of course we are coming abroad it is a better life you can live a third cheaper out here (plus we have not got Tony).
- Frederick Pyatt, Alora, Spain
I myself emigrated because of the dire straits that the UK is going to be in due to the amount of immigrants flooding in. We now live in New Zealand and we doubt we will ever return home to England unless things change.
- Jo, New Zealand
The latest headlines on the growing UK population estimated as a net increase of 500 per day belies the true impact of these appalling figures. What this means in reality is that we need to find an extra 500 peoples worth of resource in water, services, accommodation etc.
Also of the 1,000 people a day leaving a high proportion are going to be our talented youngsters who are fed up with the appalling state of this country and the cost of living here along with people that have contributed to the wealth of this country and our now taking the savings and pensions and spending them in another country. In would seem we are importing low skilled workers to swell an already over bloated service industry that constitutes nearly 80% of our workforce.
Gordon Brown may as well forget hosting the 2018 World Cup as the Wembley Stadium will have to be knocked down to provide housing for the ever increasing population!
- Keith Saunders, Northallerton, UK
What econmic twaddle from Downing Street. Immigration just creates its own self feuling fire for more and more. No country in the world is relying on immigration to boost its economy except Britain. The the consequences of current policies are going to be biblical in proportion when the money runs out.
- Chris, Woodbridge
I am losing my family to Australia, because my son says he doesn't want to bring his son up in this country, he says that the way of life here has gone, that it's PC gone mad, that there is no justice for the Innocent am not in a position to ever be able to go and see them, thank you Britain for losing my family for me.
- C.Young, UK
It would be far more but years of low wages and high taxes have left us broke. Oh to live anywhere but here.
- J.M.Hixon, Rayleigh. Essex
MigrationWatch seems to be the only source of independent and realistic information on this subject.
The tragedy is that with all the resources - and our taxes - at its disposal, the Government is utterly incapable of getting a grip.
- David Jefferis, Brill, Bucks
I'm not surprised the number of people emigrating has risen. This once proud nation is a joke. The wars that my great grandfather and grandfather faught in to preserve the freedom of this country has been in vain. We have opened the floodgates for criminals, terrorists, racists to roam freely and plot all sort of harm to the honest hardworking citizens. They accept all the benefits of this country, but condemn it also because it's not like the country they have left. In that case they are free to leave! Maybe then the people who have emigrated might return. Food for thought!
- Joanna, Newcastle
I can understand their dilemma. After spending the last 10 years in the Southern hemisphere and having a much improved lifestyle I have returned to the UK for business and family reasons. I am already considering my next move and I don't think it will be to remain here. The people of this country and I don't mean all the immigrants, are being treated badly. There are too many do gooders poking their noses in to other peoples business, and an inept government telling lies every day to the public to justify their existence. I have had enough all ready, let me out.
- Diane, Devon
The British will leave in their droves and never look back. Great Britain shall always be known as the land of yore.
- Steve Webster, Amsterdam, Netherlands (exiled)
Most alarming if the 40% tax payers are leaving only to be replaced by a much higher no of unskilled immigrants who live off the state. The logical solution is to close the door.
- Richard, London
Who can blame anyone wanting out of this country?
- Kate, Newcastle
Thanks to this useless government, what is there to stay for?
- Graham Richard Shatford, Upper Benefield, England.
I have met many people who will go as soon as elderly relatives that they feel responsible for come to the end of their days. Canada and Australia seem to be favorite places.
- Jane, Worthing.
The numbers of Britons leaving will only get larger. Afterall, many of us feel there is nothing left here for us. Jobs are dwindling thanks to mass immigration. The Government seeks to punish those who have the temerity to work hard and save for their old age. They want to spy on every single aspect of our lives, snooping in our rubbish, droves of clipboard wielding inspectors insensitively tramping through our homes, id cards holding all our most private and personal data, chips in our cars and on our travel cards recording every single journey we make on public transport or in our private car, cctv round every corner and on every building, then the final indignity, they want to electronically chip us so they can tag us personally every step we make. Privacy will cease to exist. You will not even be private in your own bedroom at night. Why shouldn't we leave, there is nothing left here.
- Sarah, London, England
As this balanced article points out many of those who emigrate from the UK are dissatisfied with things in their new country. It is thus unfair to blame New Labour and Blair for this exodus.
Many of the emigrants seem to find something to whinge about wherever they are.
My advice is to look on the bright side. Despite the implication of newspaper headlines there are far more good people out there than bad.
Also it's the focus on and worship of material wealth, and the constant worry that other people are better off, that both leads to crime and to peoples' dissatisfaction with their lot.
- Malcolm Williamson, WGC, UK
To those who voted Tony and his cronies back in, thanks for nothing. I hope you are awake at the next election.
- Helen, UK
Living in Spain is difficult - new language, a very different way of doing things... but, no yobs, no crippling council tax, no speed cameras, no obsession with political correction. Spain looks after its own first and foreigners are way down the list - fair enough I say! The UK should do the same if it wants to keep its citizens.
- Michael Orr, Malaga, Spain
A million Brits have gone since 2000 and what have they been replaced by; twice that number of peoples looking for hand-outs.
- Ryk, London
as I have said in the past years this country will not be the same in the next 50 years. The old England will be just a few lines in history. It is too late the go back to the old way of life. The idea that this country will be a Christian one in the future looks dim.
- Victor Arram, UK
The question is; why stay? Answers on the back of a first class stamp please.
Also the statistics on emigration are as inaccurate as those for immigration - not everyone tells the Government that they are leaving; Spain alone has thousands of ex-pats living there unofficially. Like all Government statistics ? garbage in, garbage out. The numbers that you use in the article are as reliable as the CPI; hands up all those whose rate of inflation is 2.4%.
- H Hall, Saulieu, France
I have just returned from Spain where thousands of Brits have moved to. They were seeking a way out of the despair caused by the destruction of a once wonderful country since New Labour came to power. They admit it is not Utopia but they have a good life in the sunshine where they are not robbed of their money by Gordon Brown's taxes. Many more will join them in the future. The United Kingdom has lost its way and will take decades to recover even when these maniacs who govern us have been replaced.
- Bea, England
Can't say I blame them, if I were young enough, would join them!
- Bob Glendinning, UK
I lived abroad for 9 years. I learned a new language, integrated, had a very good standard of living. Yet I returned to the UK three years ago. Why? Because I'm English and the UK is the best place in the world to live.
- Bob Roberts, UK
I would hazard a guess that tax payers are leaving and welfare recipiants are arriving. Labour don't care, more voters are on the way!
- Nick, Gold Coast, Australia
Only wish I met the criteria to emigrate to Australia or New Zealand, to get as far away as possible from B'liar and his squalid government!
- Stratford, Hants.
Is it any wonder after Gordon Brown has destroyed everyones future.
- Roger Kingston, york
I don't blame them. If I could afford to emigrate I would. This government (local and central has gone mad). This wonderful country is fast losing its identity and its culture. We are being spied upon from our street corners to our dustbins. Very soon we will be taxed if we have a nice view from our house, if we have good schools and have a low crime rate. All logic, reason and common sense have flown out the window. I feel sorry for my children, having to grow up in a nanny state where individuality, free speech and freedom of thought have been virtually eroded away.
- David, Brighton, Sussex
Rats, sinking ships, no light at end of tunnel are all words that come to mind.
- Steve, Bristol, Great Britain
I completely agree that TB has destroyed this country. He has let anyone including thousands of criminal in with all the consequences that involves.
- Morris, Mold, Flinthsire
Noo Labour for Noo Brits - with uncontrolled immigration it'll only be the foreigners voting for them next time.
- Freddie, Northants
