I recently made an appearance on Talk TV with David Bull. One of the topics of discussion was Britain’s small boat crossings, which are at the forefront of the wider topic of immigration.
Many listeners called in to complain about my pro-immigration stance. In October 2024, immigration became the ‘most important issue’ in the UK, with just over half of respondents (in a survey carried out by Kantar and the Migration Observatory) saying that they would prefer a decrease in immigration. Many of the callers, and the host himself, cited the housing crisis as reason to prevent immigration to the UK, alongside the country’s general anti-immigrant sentiment.
Of course, governments need to find a balance between much-needed immigration and the wishes of their citizens. There is a good argument against forcing excessive unwanted immigration on a country that clearly doesn’t want it. But at the same time, we should be trying to convince everyone of the benefits of gradually increasing current immigration levels.
Immigration is necessary in the short term as well as the long term. In the UK, both agriculture and healthcare would grind to a halt if we didn’t have immigrants willing to work in these sectors. The second less immediate concern, but one that is quickly approaching from the horizon, is demographic decline, seen in many developed countries such as Germany, Japan and the United States. Japan has been in demographic crisis mode for the past 30 years, and things are only getting worse. Their best bet is to increase immigration. The solution is unsurprisingly the same for the UK, USA and Germany.
Illegal immigration brings its own challenges. Illegal immigrants are more likely to look for work in dangerous and or illicit markets, are more likely to be taken advantage of, and are more likely to seclude themselves in pre-established diaspora communities, deepening a bubbling cultural divide.
The easiest way to solve these problems is to reduce the legal barriers to entry—making it much easier to come in, gain legal status and start working. One suggestion by Bryan Caplan is to implement a requirement for a certain number of years’ work before welfare benefits can be claimed. While some libertarians would ultimately like to get rid of the welfare state altogether, Caplan’s suggestion is a practical policy that could be implemented tomorrow. As Alex Nowrasteh of the Cato Institute says, “it’s easier to build a wall around welfare than it is to build one around the country.”
In my opinion, as I argued on Mr Bull’s show, we should be seeking and welcoming talent that can create economic breakthroughs, keep basic sectors running, and stem demographic decline.
Over the coming pages, several contributors offer their varied insights on the question of free movement—its potential, its pitfalls, its benefits and its dangers. The articles express the opinions of the authors, and not necessarily of SpeakFreely itself. We’d be interested in hearing your opinions too—visit our website for details on how to submit op-eds and articles.
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