Aid and climate spending can help curb illegal migration, says environment secretary

[Nick]

Pongo ha, Yes indeed, happy days. I joined before the Falklands and left after the Gulf and Northern Ireland. At least it wasn't boring .

I guess you're fairly close to the Amazon warehouse. I was in it when the two nutters set it on fire. 

[Red Rackham]

I guess you were a Pongo? I did the comms for the Sneaky Beaky, but I was deffo a bullet dodger. Joined after the Falklands and out in 89 before the gulf... High five

Pongo ha, Yes indeed, happy days. I joined before the Falklands and left after the Gulf and Northern Ireland. At least it wasn't boring .

[cromwell]

RAF! Christ not another bullet dodger. In the other place I've got Pacifico whinging about the standard of room service in the RAF. And the worrying thing is, I think he's serious. 

Oh bugger you don't know Deppity Dawg do you? 

[Nick]

RAF! Christ not another bullet dodger. In the other place I've got Pacifico whinging about the standard of room service in the RAF. And the worrying thing is, I think he's serious. 

I guess you were a Pongo? I did the comms for the Sneaky Beaky, but I was deffo a bullet dodger. Joined after the Falklands and out in 89 before the gulf... High five

[cromwell]

Who's talking about legal immigration? The government are currently spending £7 million a day on poor downtrodden refugees from the war torn country of France. Go figure.

TBF Barry was answering Papasmurf who was blaming the tories.

[Red Rackham]

One of my first contract gigs after leaving the RAF was pulling Ethernet cable in office blocks. £7 an hour which was good for the 80's, even better because it was SC60 and you could work the system. Todays problem is it's very hard to come by a little tickle now and then.

RAF! Christ not another bullet dodger. In the other place I've got Pacifico whinging about the standard of room service in the RAF. And the worrying thing is, I think he's serious.  

[Red Rackham]

No it is not. Legal immigration can be good for the country.

Who's talking about legal immigration? The government are currently spending £7 million a day on poor downtrodden refugees from the war torn country of France. Go figure. 

[Nick]

True, although I think that it should be pointed out that before the EU fruit was picked by mums, schoolchildren and the unemployed and the DHSS (or whatever it was called at the time) had the sense not to take any notice.

That sort of thing had been going on since ( and probably before) the Poor Laws of 1601. The only difference now is that the various rules and regulations are being enforced, which benefits no one and just gums up the works.

One of my first contract gigs after leaving the RAF was pulling Ethernet cable in office blocks. £7 an hour which was good for the 80's, even better because it was SC60 and you could work the system. Todays problem is it's very hard to come by a little tickle now and then. 

[Borchester]

The issue is that before, the Eastern Europeans were eligible for benefits, which they picked up and worked for cash on the farms, slave wages as you rightly pointed out. Mr farmer was also getting his EU subsidies for doing nowt, quids in.
Now the issue is two fold: the worker now can't get benefits and has to pay their own housing, Mr farmer has to pay a decent wage. Not so attractive now is it!!
But it's all the fault of Brexit for for tightening up an illegal loophole.

True, although I think that it should be pointed out that before the EU fruit was picked by mums, schoolchildren and the unemployed and the DHSS (or whatever it was called at the time) had the sense not to take any notice.

That sort of thing had been going on since ( and probably before) the Poor Laws of 1601. The only difference now is that the various rules and regulations are being enforced, which benefits no one and just gums up the works.

[Nick]

Better a clever lie than the foolish truth.

Fruit and veg picking has always been poorly paid and hard graft. And the whole of the UK has only seen £60 millions in spoiled crops then I reckon the farming community are doing well.

The problem is that we are running out of paupers to pick the crops and the farmers can't steal themselves to pay anything other than starvation wages.

The issue is that before, the Eastern Europeans were eligible for benefits, which they picked up and worked for cash on the farms, slave wages as you rightly pointed out. Mr farmer was also getting his EU subsidies for doing nowt, quids in.
Now the issue is two fold: the worker now can't get benefits and has to pay their own housing, Mr farmer has to pay a decent wage. Not so attractive now is it!!
But it's all the fault of Brexit for for tightening up an illegal loophole. 

[Borchester]

No it's not over a £1000, it's £259. The same price for an Indian or Russian business visa. A Chinese one is less at the moment because they're only issuing single entry visa's and not the 2 year multi entry that I normally get. Most countries insist on a letter of invitation to get a business visa and they all require you to prove how you will support yourself. So no they're not putting up barriers, they're operating the same as other countries.

Workers not showing up or going back home is nothing to do with the government but don't let the truth spoil a good story.

Better a clever lie than the foolish truth.

Fruit and veg picking has always been poorly paid and hard graft. And the whole of the UK has only seen £60 millions in spoiled crops then I reckon the farming community are doing well.

The problem is that we are running out of paupers to pick the crops and the farmers can't steal themselves to pay anything other than starvation wages.

[Nick]

Temporary seasonal worker visas cost over a £1000, the worker must be sponsored and there is a minimum income requirement. Blame the government for putting obstacles in the way to get sufficient crop pickers.

Millions of pounds of fruit and veg wasted due to workforce shortages – NFUonline

15 August 2022

A new NFU survey indicates that the 2022 fruit and vegetable harvest has been significantly impacted because there aren't enough people to pick the crops.
The survey results show that £22 million worth of fruit and vegetables has been wasted directly because of workforce shortages in the first half of 2022 alone. As the survey represents around a third of the UK horticulture sector, the NFU estimates the overall value of food wasted accumulates to more than £60 million.
The results demonstrate the detrimental impact workforce shortages are having on the food and farming sector, resulting in significant crop losses at a time when the country is experiencing the worst cost-of-living crisis in generations.
The survey also showed that:

• 40% of respondents are suffering crop losses as a result of labour shortages
• 56% of respondents reported a fall in production – averaging a 19% reduction across the businesses
• On average for the 2022 season so far, businesses are experiencing worker shortages of 14% (this is based on recruitment and does not factor in the added effects of early leavers)
• 17% of workers recruited did not turn up
• 9% of workers left their contract early
• Growers expect a further fall in production in 2023 of 4.4%

NFU Deputy President Tom Bradshaw said: "It's nothing short of a travesty that quality, nutritious food is being wasted at a time when families across the country are already struggling to make ends meet because of soaring living costs.

No it's not over a £1000, it's £259. The same price for an Indian or Russian business visa. A Chinese one is less at the moment because they're only issuing single entry visa's and not the 2 year multi entry that I normally get. Most countries insist on a letter of invitation to get a business visa and they all require you to prove how you will support yourself. So no they're not putting up barriers, they're operating the same as other countries. 

Workers not showing up or going back home is nothing to do with the government but don't let the truth spoil a good story. 

[papasmurf]

Is this the same person that says crops are rotting in the fields because no one can get in to pick it?

Temporary seasonal worker visas cost over a £1000, the worker must be sponsored and there is a minimum income requirement. Blame the government for putting obstacles in the way to get sufficient crop pickers. 

Millions of pounds of fruit and veg wasted due to workforce shortages – NFUonline

15 August 2022

A new NFU survey indicates that the 2022 fruit and vegetable harvest has been significantly impacted because there aren't enough people to pick the crops.
The survey results show that £22 million worth of fruit and vegetables has been wasted directly because of workforce shortages in the first half of 2022 alone. As the survey represents around a third of the UK horticulture sector, the NFU estimates the overall value of food wasted accumulates to more than £60 million.
The results demonstrate the detrimental impact workforce shortages are having on the food and farming sector, resulting in significant crop losses at a time when the country is experiencing the worst cost-of-living crisis in generations.
The survey also showed that:

• 40% of respondents are suffering crop losses as a result of labour shortages
• 56% of respondents reported a fall in production – averaging a 19% reduction across the businesses
• On average for the 2022 season so far, businesses are experiencing worker shortages of 14% (this is based on recruitment and does not factor in the added effects of early leavers)
• 17% of workers recruited did not turn up
• 9% of workers left their contract early
• Growers expect a further fall in production in 2023 of 4.4%

NFU Deputy President Tom Bradshaw said: "It's nothing short of a travesty that quality, nutritious food is being wasted at a time when families across the country are already struggling to make ends meet because of soaring living costs.

[Nick]

No it is not. Legal immigration can be good for the country.

Is this the same person that says crops are rotting in the fields because no one can get in to pick it? 

[Barry]

Nearly 300000 legal immigrants were let into Britain last year by the Tory government, that is the real problem.

No it is not. Legal immigration can be good for the country.