It's not racist to say the numbers matter

Letter by Sir Andrew Green
The Independent, London, 13 September 2005


Sir,

According to your editorial of 8 September, Migrationwatch seems to believe that numbers alone should be the measure of immigration. You later refer to those who clothe their racism in hostility to immigration.

I should like to make it clear that we are neither hostile to immigration, nor racist. But we do believe that numbers are important. With net foreign immigration running at 200,000 a year it is hard to see how we can achieve the degree of integration necessary for a harmonious society. We now have, as you point out, a very diverse society which includes five million immigrants. The issue is whether we wish to add a further five million to our population over the next thirty years as a result of immigration. Given that three quarters come to London and the South-east, that clearly has implications for our quality of life.

Surely this should be a matter for national debate, free of accusations of racism. That, certainly, is the view of 70 per cent of your fellow citizens who, according to successive polls, are concerned about the present scale of immigration.

© Copyright of Sir Andrew Green
Chairman Migrationwatch UK

The Independent, London, 13 September, 2005

http://www.independent.co.uk/