3 ms·

Well some are trying to reach the UK, not all. As to why that is, I don't think any of us on HN can confidently state the reason - none of us have surveyed them

by smcl 2y ago

Well some are trying to reach the UK, not all. As to why that is, I don't think any of us on HN can confidently state the reason - none of us have surveyed them all and processed the answers. They may be living in poor conditions and (incorrectly) assume the UK is somehow a more welcoming, tolerant place. They may have family, friends or connections in the UK, or they may simply speak English and have some kind of cultural closeness with the country that they don't have with France. However you're showing a bit more about yourself than you might realise, by assuming that they're purely doing it to work illegally. It should go without saying that moving anywhere is stressful and not something you take lightly. Even if you're comfortable and well off it's not a walk in the park. Those who are crossing the English Channel in boats aren't doing so because they're after an easy life, and god knows they won't get one when they arrive. They've often endured hardships most of us can barely conceive of, and to do all that simply to live outside the system and work illegally? I find it hard to believe.

DarkmSparks 2y ago
meanwhile, in the real world https://migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk/resources/briefings/migrants-in-the-uk-labour-market-an-overview/ https://migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk/resources/briefings/mi...
- smcl 2y ago
  Your point, caller?
  - DarkmSparks 2y ago
    that members of the university of oxford disagree with pretty much everything you had said, and have the evidence to back up what they said. Obviously.
    - smcl 2y ago
      See what you need to do if you want to refute something I said is actually go through each point and refute it. Not dump a link and declare checkmate. Either do that or go away.
      - DarkmSparks 2y ago
        Thats exactly what i did. Posted a well researched article by a reasonably well respected educational establishment that disproved every point you tried to make. Might I suggest you actually read articles like that instead of wandering around claiming no one can be sure of anything then shouting at me to leave my thread when I call you out on obviously never having researched anything you were talking about. This isnt kindergaten any more, mommy isnt going to read the books to you.
- graemep 2y ago
  There is one problem in that data. It classifies people by country of birth. Because something like (IIRC) 10% of British citizens live abroad a lot of people who are "British citizens by descent", like my younger daughter, were born abroad. She actually spent more of her childhood in the UK than my older daughter who is "British born". The Migration Observatory is a great source of data. There is a fascinating one on racial discrimination - lots of unexpected results.
graemep 2y ago
> However you're showing a bit more about yourself than you might realise, by assuming that they're purely doing it to work illegally. What exactly am i showing about myself? Do tell. > They may be living in poor conditions and (incorrectly) assume the UK is somehow a more welcoming, tolerant place. My own experience is that the UK is a very tolerant place for ethnic minorities and,a s far as I can see, for legal immigrants too. The data supports that very strongly. > hey may simply speak English and have some kind of cultural closeness with the country that they don't have with France That is probably true for immigrants from former colonies but they are a small proportion of people entering the country illegally.

by smcl 2y ago

DarkmSparks 2y ago

meanwhile, in the real world https://migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk/resources/briefings/migrants-in-the-uk-labour-market-an-overview/ https://migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk/resources/briefings/mi...

smcl 2y ago
Your point, caller?
- DarkmSparks 2y ago
  that members of the university of oxford disagree with pretty much everything you had said, and have the evidence to back up what they said. Obviously.
  - smcl 2y ago
    See what you need to do if you want to refute something I said is actually go through each point and refute it. Not dump a link and declare checkmate. Either do that or go away.
    - DarkmSparks 2y ago
      Thats exactly what i did. Posted a well researched article by a reasonably well respected educational establishment that disproved every point you tried to make. Might I suggest you actually read articles like that instead of wandering around claiming no one can be sure of anything then shouting at me to leave my thread when I call you out on obviously never having researched anything you were talking about. This isnt kindergaten any more, mommy isnt going to read the books to you.
graemep 2y ago
There is one problem in that data. It classifies people by country of birth. Because something like (IIRC) 10% of British citizens live abroad a lot of people who are "British citizens by descent", like my younger daughter, were born abroad. She actually spent more of her childhood in the UK than my older daughter who is "British born". The Migration Observatory is a great source of data. There is a fascinating one on racial discrimination - lots of unexpected results.

graemep 2y ago

> However you're showing a bit more about yourself than you might realise, by assuming that they're purely doing it to work illegally. What exactly am i showing about myself? Do tell. > They may be living in poor conditions and (incorrectly) assume the UK is somehow a more welcoming, tolerant place. My own experience is that the UK is a very tolerant place for ethnic minorities and,a s far as I can see, for legal immigrants too. The data supports that very strongly. > hey may simply speak English and have some kind of cultural closeness with the country that they don't have with France That is probably true for immigrants from former colonies but they are a small proportion of people entering the country illegally.