Why are you making such a big deal about the Irish anyway? You might as well make a big deal about Welsh and Scottish 'immigration'. All part of the geographical area known as the British Isles.

Here is what most people in the country (including immigrants themselves) think about the levels of immigration:

Six out of ten people put immigration and asylum in the top three troubles facing the country, according to a Times/YouGov poll reported in January 2016.
60% of first and second generation immigrants said they feel that migration to the UK should be reduced, NatCen Social Research’s British Social Attitudes survey 2013.
75% thought the level of immigration into Britain in the last ten years had been too high, YouGov poll from February 2015.
95% of Britons believed new immigrants should speak English, a NatCen social research survey found in June 2015.
77% want to see a reduction of immigration into Britain, British Social Attitudes Survey Jan 2014.
78% support the government’s aim to reduce net migration to the tens of thousands, including 70% of those who voted Liberal Democrat in the 2010 General Election, YouGov for The Sunday Times, January 2012
68% believe that immigration has a negative effect on Britain, YouGov for The Sunday Times, January 2012
66% believe that immigration has had a negative impact on the availability of jobs, Ipsos Mori for British Future, January 2012.
88% believe that immigrants who are unable to speak English or unwilling to integrate have created ‘discomfort and disjointedness’ in British communities, YouGov for The Sunday Times, April 2011.
72% disagreed that an amnesty should be granted to illegal immigrants in Britain, YouGov for Migration Watch UK, June 2006. 12% believe that immigration had changed their local community for the better, 88% disagreed. Searchlight Educational Trust, February 2011,

Edited by hedgehog50 (07 Oct 2017 7.16pm)

Perception? It is people expressing their opinions. (It is a number of surveys by the way.)

Edited by hedgehog50 (07 Oct 2017 9.36pm)

You know better than the majority of the country of course? The arrogance of the left.

Is that it, 'feck off'! Is that the best you can muster to defend your belief?

Opinion is divided, a few deluded lefties think recent immigration levels are not a problem, the rest of the country think they are.

60% of first and second generation immigrants said they feel that migration to the UK should be reduced!!!! Why do you think that is?

Edited by hedgehog50 (07 Oct 2017 11.08pm)

1%? Interesting maths. I was talking about the 19th Century don't forget. The effect of mass immigration.

If some moved on later that doesn't change the fact they came here first. At a time when, as you rightly say, they would have represented more than 5% of the population and would have arrived in a VERY short period of time. They would also have been heavily concentrated on certain places, like Liverpool.

I put it to you that is far more 'significant' than anything we are seeing now. The equivalent of 3.3m people arriving in the course of seven years in today's money. Current migration is 246k per annum net. So the inflow was roughly twice the current net inflow. And presumably the current inflow will see quite a big reversal as the EU migrants change their approach. So yes, there are lessons to learn from history.