Germany takes more refugees than France - and under their new government are a "refugee friendly" country (nearly 2m in the last decade), and Spain take nearly as many. Greece also take a large number - the EU in total takes about 8-9x as many as the UK each year. Under the 1951 UN Convention on Refugees (and 1967 Protocol), a person must "come directly" to a country to claim asylum in it. Legally, this means that they cannot settle in an intermediate country and claim asylum there *first* - unless that country is invaded and the place where they lived is no longer safe from persecution. So anyone traveling to the UK cannot have applied elsewhere for asylum - and around 70% are accepted at the first time + a large chunk of those rejected win their appeals due to Home Office failures to follow the correct process. Those lefty lawyers wouldn't win so many cases to spoil Priti Patel's mood if the caseworkers got it right in the first place (but the decision would have been positive for the applicant). Refugees are allowed to choose a country to apply in - and most stay in the country closest to theirs. The numbers in Lebanon, Turkey, Pakistan and similar dwarf ours by a factor of 100. Those that move onwards from the closest country are generally the most determined, or physically able to undertake such an arduous journey. Just exact the sort of people that could thrive and be a major benefit to the country and the economy given the opportunity to work and build a life. Most refugees choose a country based on language, family ties or historic links or just believe the hype that the UK is a tolerant, caring country that would help out someone in their hour of need (British values and fair play and all that).
Just for the people who think this story is unique or somehow doesn’t represent plenty of people: https://www.kentonline.co.uk/kent/news/27-people-drowned-and-i-laughed-258352/
My first reaction to that story was along the lines of 'wow, unbelievable, ashamed that they are my countrymen'. However, somehow we do have to try to understand where that attitude comes from & tackle it head on. The problem is getting worse. Alternatively, we could wait until I become President, as I shall be running a 'one in ... one out' type immigration policy.
It might be because in his world that’s all he sees and hears. Listened to a Reith Lecture on Radio 4 this morning. Stuart Russell, founder of the Center for Human-Compatible Artificial Intelligence at the University of California. He talked about how the algorithm that determines what you see on your newsfeed is a greater threat to your mind and democracy than any dictator’s speech. The algorithm is programmed to make money. The more it can grab your attention the more money it makes, so it feeds you with stuff it knows you like. It’s also striving for efficiency - to make as much money as fast as possible. The best way to do that is to concentrate on feeding ‘predictable’ minds. It turns out that predictable minds are to be found at the extremes. Feeding them makes them more extreme and so more profitable so they’re fed even more to make them more extreme and profitable. The programmers of the algorithm are quids in – hatred and extremism grow.
The Facebook whistleblower said exactly the same thing to the HoC last month. And yesterday I read a heartbreaking story about a COVID victim who’d refused the vaccine and mocked mask wearing, who was addicted to FB.
I often quote Aldus Huxley but the bloke knew what he was talking about. He thought the only way to avoid all this was to teach kids one vital thing. Critical thinking. But he said the authorities would always be set against this – with good reason.
I was roundly lambasted earlier this year for pointing out that someone who boasted about being educated beyond degree level and had no discernible critical thinking skills had wasted his education. I possibly could have couched my words better, but I’m appalled that even someone who leaves education at 18 can fall into QAnon levels of misinformation.
I don't think I can follow this thread any more for fear of more news stories / photos of more and more moronic dickheads.