The Labour politician says the scale of eastern European immigration has been a 'spectacular mistake'. But there is plenty of evidence to show it has brought economic and social benefits
Jack Straw's admission that it was a "spectacular mistake" to let in migrants from eastern Europe when the EU was enlarged in 2004 has added fresh fuel to that flickering fire. So what has this latest wave of migrants ever done for us?
*1* In a report published last week, researchers at University College London found that migrants who came to the UK after 2000 were 45% less likely than the indigenous population to claim benefits or recieve tax credits, and 3% less likely to live in social housing.
*2* According to the report, those from the European Economic Area (EU countries, plus Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland) made a particularly high contribution to GDP, paying out 34% more in taxes than they received in benefits. Their net contribution was worth about £25bn to the Treasury.
*3* Migrants are blamed for clogging up A&E, but figures show hospital admission rates for migrants are half the level of people of the same age in the British-born population.
*4* A London School of Economics study earlier this year found that in neighbourhoods that had experienced mass migration from eastern Europe over the past 10 years, crime had fallen significantly. Levels of burglary, vandalism and car theft had all dropped.
*5* Migrants from eastern Europe, because they tend to be young, have contributed to a marked increase in the birth rate. That, in turn, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics, has slowed the rate of ageing of the UK population as a whole. Twenty-five years ago, the UK was second only to Sweden as the most aged population. Last year it was down to 15th among EU countries, and is projected to carry on falling down the "most aged" list. That has beneficial effects in terms of sharing the tax burden and helping to care for an ageing British-born population.
*6* A study last year by the Office for Budget Responsibility suggested that GDP would grow by 2.3% in a decade under a scenario of high migration, 0.2% higher than if there was zero migration, and said the gap would widen in succeeding decades.
*7* The OBR also said that because higher immigration meant a larger working population, migrants would have a beneficial effect on levels of national debt. By 2062, with high migration, debt would be 50% of GDP; with low migration, 90%.
*8* Polish is now Britain's third language after English and Welsh, and is much easier to learn than Welsh. Reported by guardian.co.uk 3 days ago.
Jack Straw's admission that it was a "spectacular mistake" to let in migrants from eastern Europe when the EU was enlarged in 2004 has added fresh fuel to that flickering fire. So what has this latest wave of migrants ever done for us?
*1* In a report published last week, researchers at University College London found that migrants who came to the UK after 2000 were 45% less likely than the indigenous population to claim benefits or recieve tax credits, and 3% less likely to live in social housing.
*2* According to the report, those from the European Economic Area (EU countries, plus Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland) made a particularly high contribution to GDP, paying out 34% more in taxes than they received in benefits. Their net contribution was worth about £25bn to the Treasury.
*3* Migrants are blamed for clogging up A&E, but figures show hospital admission rates for migrants are half the level of people of the same age in the British-born population.
*4* A London School of Economics study earlier this year found that in neighbourhoods that had experienced mass migration from eastern Europe over the past 10 years, crime had fallen significantly. Levels of burglary, vandalism and car theft had all dropped.
*5* Migrants from eastern Europe, because they tend to be young, have contributed to a marked increase in the birth rate. That, in turn, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics, has slowed the rate of ageing of the UK population as a whole. Twenty-five years ago, the UK was second only to Sweden as the most aged population. Last year it was down to 15th among EU countries, and is projected to carry on falling down the "most aged" list. That has beneficial effects in terms of sharing the tax burden and helping to care for an ageing British-born population.
*6* A study last year by the Office for Budget Responsibility suggested that GDP would grow by 2.3% in a decade under a scenario of high migration, 0.2% higher than if there was zero migration, and said the gap would widen in succeeding decades.
*7* The OBR also said that because higher immigration meant a larger working population, migrants would have a beneficial effect on levels of national debt. By 2062, with high migration, debt would be 50% of GDP; with low migration, 90%.
*8* Polish is now Britain's third language after English and Welsh, and is much easier to learn than Welsh. Reported by guardian.co.uk 3 days ago.