I've come to the conclusion that a lot of people on this board...

...are basing their EU ?? -IN or OUT stance on their domestic political leanings and even if that is not the case, some are looking for and posting source material merely to re-inforce and impose their own views on others rather than adding to the debate.

Anyway, here is something to ponder for all of you who quote from politicians, academics and military sources and why I don't trust any of the spin coming from politicians...

Why will Cameron not address the massive discrepancy between the 257,000 EU migrants THEY say have come to the UK and the 630,000 new NI numbers given out to recent EU migrants?

Something there does not add up.

As I say, immigration is not a deal-breaker as to which way I would vote as there is as much potential good as there ispotential harm in open borders but it illustrates how the old joke is still valid..i.e. " You can tell when a politician is about to lie because he opens his mouth to speak"

 

The 257,000 number i think is net migration - i.e. immigrants take away emigrants.

So 400,000 either went back home in the same time - or 400,000 Brits buggered off to Dubai.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-35658731

 

That may be but the Government are saying that only 257k EU migrants have come to the UK in that period NOT that 630k came and more than half returned AFTER applying for NI cards. If is was net and it was BRITs leaving then they would already have had NI cards for many years. The 630k are "recent" NI applications for EU migrants. Either way it is an example of getting the stats and then distorting them in any way they want.

 

Independent research shows that economically immigration has a positive impact on the economy. So immigration makes us wealthier. Of course you have to balance this against the potentially negative impact on resources I,e hospitals, roads etc.

 

Possibly the loophole in obtaining a European Health Insurance Cards, which can be exploited by other EU members?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-33843758

 

But that would be how it worked.

If on Jan 1st Britain's population was 60m, then on the 2nd 630,000 EU migrants moved here, the population would be 60,630,000. They'd all need to apply for NI cards. Then, say on Jan 3rd, 373,000 people from the 60m who'd been living here already (and already had NI cards) decided to leave, the population would drop to 60,257,000 - a net rise of 257,000, requiring 630,000 new NI numbers.

Spread those numbers over a period more than 3 days and it's feasible.

 

Yes, obviously the people who emigrated from this country did so to claim benefits, free heathcare and free schooling for their kids. It makes my p**s itch when politicians try to ballance out net migration in this way.

 

What's your point? What's giving you itchy piss?

That the numbers don't add up? That net migration isn't different? That every single migrant coming to the country is only doing so to sponge from the British state whereas all Brits leaving the country to go to the EU won't touch a penny of what's on offer in the countries they arrive in?

 

As per the OP the point was NOT about immigration pros and cons but an example of the the manipulation of the public using half truths and distorting of statistics coming from both sides (but particularly no 10 ) in the EU IN/ OUT argument.

 

Steady on fella! My OP was not about immigration but the way that both sides of the IN/OUT propaganda war were using and abusing stats to try to win the argument. Half truths lies damn lies and statistics! even if the figures are correct the way they are presented are misleading to most of the public

 

I think he was responding to the other poster who was implying that all immigrants to Britain are coming here to live off benefits