I'm a bit troubled by the nature of some of this talk. It's an emotive issue for sure, but comparing the 'problem' of migrant workers in the UK to the decades of totalitarian rule in Egypt (which was supported and funded by the UK amongst others) is pushing it.
Immigration is not new. This is an Island, so we're all immigrants if you go back far enough. It's been happening throughout the whole history of Britain. Historians estimate that between 15 & 25% of the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic wars was foreign. Have a look at Nelsons column next time your in London and you'll find Black sailors depicted on it doing their duty. Polish, French, Dutch, Indian, and many others flew in the RAF in the Battle of Britain. Go back to any period of Britain's history and you'll find it awash with foreigners.
And the Poles have not Driven through Germany and wherever just to come here. They're all throughout Europe, as are people of all nationalities, including Brits. They and other migrant workers play a vital part in our economy, which is the 7th largest in the world and 2nd largest in Europe behind Germany. We're not doing to badly out of it. If Government policy makes us bit worse off blame the government not the Poles.
One of the largest problems facing the developing world is large western (including British) corporations refusing to pay them their due tax when they are based abroad. Also there are many hundreds of thousands of British workers and ex-pats spread across the globe. In Spain there are huge developments full of Brits who refuse to learn the language or respect their way of doing things. People complain when foreign language provision is made for people in this country. But look at how much signage is in English next time you're in a holiday hot spot. They don't like it either. And just go to Ibiza, Tennerife, The Costa Del Sol, Prague, or countless other destinations and look at how we Brits respect their way of life. They dread the influx of the drunken yobs we export. They have to spend millions on policing, including setting up English speaking units to deal with unruly tourists. We are pricing local populations out of the housing markets and turning communities into ghost towns in many countries by snapping up cheap foreign housing for holiday homes. It's not all one sided.
Sorry to go on, but my mother was born a black British citizen. She was recruited by an NHS mental hospital in the 60's because they were desperately short of nurses. She worked hard in this country and we had to endure so much 'you're over hear stealing our jobs' abuse, I don't like to see people who are taking a legitimate opportunity to be vilified in such a lazy way. Don't be informed by the Daily Mail alone. Sure their are bad eggs, but we have sent plenty of our own abroad to harass foreign communities. We don't have the moral high ground here.
Sorry, I've had way too much coffee, it's raining and I'm getting a bit stir crazy .
Phew!!