'Super-Immigrants' and Denmark's Welfare State
NEWSWEEK / WASHINGTON POST: "The Achilles' heel of the welfare state" read a recent headline in a Danish newspaper, alluding to the economic toll immigration is taking on the country.

"...Unrestricted immigration is a death threat against our welfare," echoed Pia Kjærsgaard, leader of the right wing party Dansk Folkeparti (Danish People's Party), defending her fight for a selective approach to immigration.

The comments come at a time when Denmark has had to accept new rulings by the EU that ease its own relatively strict immigration policies. The conclusion that non-EU citizens no longer need to be legal residents in an EU country to be allowed family reunification in another EU country is against Denmark's own law. But as Denmark has to follow common policy laws on immigration regardless of national laws, the government has had little choice but to concede to the ruling.

Pia Kjærsgaard calls the EU a "monster" while other angry voices in Parliament, although not as allegorical, have joined in on an intense debate about how best to cover up the loopholes now present in the country's immigration law.

Why are politicians so skeptical of letting anyone outside of the EU become a Danish citizen?

Calculations by the Danish National Bank may give an answer. Their predictions indicate that the government would have to save nearly $1.6 billion (or raise taxes equivalently) in order to balance the costs of immigrants from under-developed countries living in Denmark. These immigrants tend to have a hard time finding jobs, but are nevertheless automatically included in the welfare state. Benefiting from the generous public services without paying back in the form of taxes would therefore lead to a significant deficit of government spending. >>> By Annie Magnus | October 29, 2008

The Dawning of a New Dark Age (Paperback – Denmark) >>>

Immigration: Phil Woolas Admits Labour Responsible for String of Failures
THE TELEGRAPH: Labour had made a string of failures in its management of the migration system, the new immigration minister has admitted.

Just days after sparking a row by apparently calling for a cap on the number of immigrants coming to the country, Phil Woolas said the Government had implemented policies that had damaged both those moving to the country and the existing population.

He said too much money had been spent on translating signs and documents into other languages and not enough on teaching migrants to learn English, leading to segregated communities.

Mr Woolas, who only began his new brief two weeks ago, suggested ministers had wrongly shied away from demanding that people coming to Britain speak the language, and accused the country of having an "old world" attitude.

He also criticised Labour's failure to fund asylum removals properly which he said had caused "untold human misery and division".

But last night he was forced to make another embarrassing "clarification" of his latest remarks.

He insisted the Government was now making progress but conceded that UK policy on immigration was lagging a decade behind that of other countries.

It is estimated that 2.3 million people have moved to Britain since Labour came to power, 84 per cent of them from outside Europe, and a further 7 million are expected by 2031, putting pressure on housing, transport and public services.

Mr Woolas's latest outspoken comments come after he appeared to agree that there should be a limit on the number of people moving to the country from overseas in an interview on Saturday. >>> By Martin Beckford, Social Affairs Correspondent | October 20, 2008

The Dawning of a New Dark Age – Dust Jacket Hardcover, direct from the publishers (UK) >>>
The Dawning of a New Dark Age – Paperback, direct from the publishers (UK) >>>

United Kingdom: Migrants Arriving from Overseas Will Be Brought 'Under Control' Hints New Immigration Minister
Photo of Phil Woolas, the new, outspoken Immigration Minister, courtesy of the Mail Online
MAIL Online: Within hours of his appointment, the new Immigration Minister indicated that the influx of arrivals from overseas will finally be brought 'under control'.

Phil Woolas dropped broad hints that he supports a policy of 'balanced migration', and an upper limit on migrant numbers.

The outspoken MP added: 'Community cohesion is crucial. After the economy, this is probably the biggest concern facing the population.'

Campaigners gave Mr Woolas's remarks a cautious welcome as a sign that Labour is at last preparing to abandon its controversial 'open door' policy.

They have also been heartened by his strong track record as a politician willing to confront uncomfortable subjects.

In the past, he has warned that first-cousin marriages in the Pakistani community are increasing the risk of birth defects, and that Muslim women wearing the veil could spark 'fear and resentment' among non-Muslims.

The Oldham East and Saddleworth MP, who has faced down BNP activists in his own constituency, told the Sunday Times on Sunday that it was vital to 'provide confidence to the indigenous population that migration is under control'. Migrants Arriving from Overseas Will Be Brought 'Under Control' Hints New Immigration Minister >>> By James Slack | October 6, 2008

The Dawning of a New Dark Age – Dust Jacket Hardcover, direct from the publishers (UK) >>>
The Dawning of a New Dark Age – Paperback, direct from the publishers (UK) >>>