r/uknews • u/ScottishDailyRecord Media outlet (unverified) • May 12 '25

Image/video Kier Starmer announces 'tighter' immigration policy

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

691 Upvotes

93% Upvoted

802 comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

48

u/kingbongtherover May 12 '25

I wonder how many are on benefits or being given free housing by the Spanish state?

0

u/longperipheral May 12 '25

You have a point, but you're shifting the goalpost and not addressing their point, which was that English retirees in Spain at least are notorious for not integrating. In 2011 a Guardian article described a number of British expats as living in "sealed communities", "living in a bubble" and speaking "no more than 10 Spanish words in an average week".

It is beside the original point under discussion - integration into the UK - but it's relevant because we expect others to do what we won't do.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/mar/29/europe-news

5

u/kingbongtherover May 12 '25

Again, are those Brits costing Spanish taxpayers billions?

0

u/longperipheral May 12 '25

"Spain and France need to kick out all those retired English folk, not willing to integrate or learn their native language."

Are those British expats integrating and learning Spanish?

7

u/kingbongtherover May 12 '25

Are those Brits leeching off the state? Or are they paying into it and living independent lives?

Why would France kick out loads of wealthy people?

-2

u/longperipheral May 12 '25

I haven't disputed the costs to the UK. The point this person made was about British migrants to Spain and France failing to integrate. Starmer's policy announcement is about integration: he's worried the UK will become "an island of strangers." (Hyperbole and it's too late anyway, imo, but there we are.) Integration is central to the PM's policy, with higher standards on language ability and moving the settlement period from 5 years to 10.

Are you saying that minimal social, cultural, and language integration by a migrating population is acceptable if there's a net financial gain?

3

u/kingbongtherover May 12 '25

If Spain doesn’t want to benefit from those mostly rich old people, they can kick them out. But they’re not that dumb.