Well that's not entirely true, as each decade since WWII has been marked by periods of mass migration (After the War, Indian Migration, pakistani Migration and Afro-Caribbean Migration - all really driven by a need for employees - and all met with similar arguments about society and equally less savoury ones). The primary difference between EU migration and the previous migrations has been the tendency towards the previous migrations being permanent, rather than temporary additions to the population.

I agree that migration, and populations, need to be managed, but the question always remains how to regulate fairly, without resorting to a prejudicial basis, and that's where the EU migration has been problematic, the capacity to control and direct it has been driven more by market forces than the state.

For other countries in Europe its a more common experience I think, given the size of borders and entry points, where as the UK as an Island, always has had a potent capacity to regulate, control and police its borders with its neighbours (something that for most mainland European countries is a much bigger undertaking).

"One Nation Under God, has turned into One Nation Under the Influence of One Drug"
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Most major cities have a much greater population density than London; Paris roughly three times, many others even greater (and I'm not talking about Mexico City, Manilla or Sao Paulo, but places like Berlin, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Moscow, New York, Hong Kong, Milan etc. etc.) Most of those cities don't have any slums, they use space in a more planned considered way, and this is something London has belatedly started to do in recent years.

I used to be immortal

The whole thing hasn't failed as there are plenty of people from different cultural backgrounds that work, socialise and live in the same places without any bother in the UK.

What we have got are groups within groups that can't/won't/refuse/ to get along due to the nature of their beliefs, usually religious, or just being anti-social: Chelsea racist types.

Disappear those two and the vast majority would be just fine.

Big chest and massive boobs

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That may be true of London and certain other large citys, but go up North, even Luton, and there are whole towns that are no go areas if you are white, or not "from round here".

It works in places like New york becuase essentially everyone in the states is an immigrant (unless you like wearing feathers and howling at the full moon), you are by the very definition no more than a 5/6th generation imigrant, American history goes back, what about 300 years, or in other words starts from when the pale face decided they liked the climate.

I just don't think it's in the psyche of your average Briton to accept foriegn visitors as equals. We have spent thousands of years repelling invaders of one form or another from the Vikings to the Romans.

And I think that comes out in peoples attitudes towards foreigners in the less cosmopolitan arears of the UK.

And I can see why, your essentailly asking people to give ground and be accepting of others when for generations they've done exactly the opposite.

My perosnal stance is that there should be more emphasis on intergration rather than immigration.

Edited by dannyh (24 Feb 2016 11.43am)

"It's not the bullet that's got my name on it that concerns me; it's all them other ones flyin' around marked 'To Whom It May Concern.'"

London is a big place. West Croydon is a tiny area within. There are plenty of other 'West Croydons' in the metropolis but you would actually have to seek them out to experience it because, as you know, the rest of London, the most of it, folk from different backgrounds just live, work and mingle.

There would be a huge amount of flare-ups if that were not the case.

Has London overall been a failure of multi-culturalism? As a pretty peaceful and prosperous world city it's hard to argue that it has, surely?

It would be like saying New York has failed too.

Edited by Kermit8 (24 Feb 2016 11.55am)

Big chest and massive boobs

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That proves you haven't been around much lately. People will get along with others at work, but when out of work, it's generally be with your own. Yes, there aren't riots and gang warfare but gradually people move away or notice how something that was within reach before, is now harder to attain. Go further north of Croydon and you get to Pollards Hill if you turn a left before Streatham Common. Same applies there as with other West Croydon's/Selhurst's etc.

None of this does or will make any difference to me or you I can see but I know it does to others.

COYP