PaulC

I still not entirely convinced by the net benefit. I agree with nurses and other skilled jobs, but having unskilled workers come in and do jobs for minimum wage or below does not help us long-term, especially when we have a massive unemployment problem.

It's true that a great many people who are concerned about the things you list aren't racist. It's also true that racists will often try to present their concerns as being about rational, objective, race-neutral issues because they are aware that racism now meets with far more social disapproval than it did say 50 years ago. It's not on to say "I don't like blacks", and it is more acceptable to talk about pressure on resources and so on. And so racists will have that kind of conversation instead, except when they feel safe expressing more overtly racist attitudes. They don't like having to cloak their feelings in this way, and they therefore decry "political correctness" as an assault on their civil liberties. If people are worried about receiving care when they're sick, they might want to think about who's providing the care. We have depended on immigrants to keep the health service running since the days when Enoch Powell, as Minister of Health, advertised in the West Indies for nurses. If they can't get a job, they might consider the absurd economic policies which have deliberately created this state of affairs, who benefits from this, and who is responsible. If they can't find proper housing, they should think about the deliberate running down of council housing and the inflation of the property bubble - again, both deliberate policies to enrich the wealthy. And if they feel the welfare budget should come down, they might want to check the figures for the relative share of social security which goes to a) the unemployed and b ) pensioners, reflect on the fact that immigrants are less likely to be in receipt of benefits than the indigenous population, and then think a bit more carefully about some of the ideas they picked up down the pub or from the likes of Jeremy Clarkson. I agree with all that but is it any use reflecting who or what caused these issues, but on what we are going to do to solve them. Like you I have no faith in the current govt and wish I had more faith in the Labour party. We need a referendum to see where we stand on Europe and immigration and I would like it without the party's telling us which way we should vote.

He made 20 million available in the summer. Theres no point us making big money signings and then getting stuck with them for years on high wages like has happened. I back Lambert to make some more shrewd investments this summer.

Anyway Shearer has Villa finishing about 16th next season so have no respect for his opinion

Do we? Or do we have enough people out of work (or underemployed) to suit our economic system? Don't know, isn't it counter productive to be paying out more in Jobseekers and working tax credits or universal benefits or whatever it is now.

Since he's had an extended run in the side we have looked better at the back. I think he's ok. Better than Dunne and Collins.

I think Delph has a lot more to offer and Baker is a young lad we should stick with him. He's done well!

Indeed. When we look at the forecast changes in over 65 and over 85 population in the next couple of decades it would appear quite clear that the debate ought to focus on the necessary increases in immigration to be able to cope with this demographic change rather than the nonsense of saying that 'we're are full'. We already have enough people out of work to cope with the increase in pensioners.

No. Great, so we can all agree that there is a limit. The only thing we need to discuss is what that limit should be, how it should be enforced and who is best placed to enforce it...right? No. It is obvious that the UK (and the planet) can't sustain an infinite population. To jump from there to saying that we must set strict limits on the number of people allowed in to the country and police them tightly is a strange mental leap. It's like saying if you stepped on the surface of the sun you would be burnt up, so therefore better not light a candle, because that's the slippery slope. Let's be honest about this. The immigration debate is not one about sustainability. If people were actually concerned about sustainability, there's a great many things which should have them far more concerned before turning to the number of people in the country. It's about whether they are comfortable with certain types of people being allowed in. It seems that Russian mafiosi are ok, Romanian strawberry-pickers aren't. New York bankers are welcome, Bangladeshi chefs aren't. It's not about numbers, and it's not about whether they bring needed skills. It's about power, about class, about race, and about prejudice. No no no that is making out everyone who is worried is racist or xenophobic that is totally wrong. People are worried about getting a hospital bed when they are really sick, feeding their kids because they can't get a job, getting a property to live in because there's no council houses. We can't handle the amount of people we have right now. Despite the cuts the wefare budget keeps going up....

and it doesn't really matter who is the more talented. Delfouneso is more talented than Weimann but who is the better player?

The bigger picture is that we will be safe and he is building something good.

Brian Little, Gordon Cowans Yes Shaw before the knee injury at Forest, not a lot of pace but he had a superb touch. Brian Little was superb before his knees finished his career. Platt he's been a bit of a prick since but we'll never see a goal scoring midfield player like him again. Never given the credit he deserves for his England performances. Lampard has just surpassed his goals tally but hes played about 40 more games. Although he's never said anything good about Villa although we launched his career.

Shearers vote though wasn't it so no surprise there with him being a striker. I'm biased and would go for Lowton myself, however there were some special goals. On the otherhand he gave Guzan save of the season

If you lose I will be celebrating. If you win I'll be jumping in the Grand Union Canal! Already done that 3 years ago lol PaulC? Which one? The jump or the bet? Please confirm! If it's the jump I'll have to think off throwing myself over the white cliffs of Dover! PS - Please don't tell me you've done that one as well! I actually fell in the Stratford canal. It was very muddy and went too near the edge and slipped in lol Cheers for clearing that up..................................Dover it is then! Make sure you get a good jump you don't want to keep bumping into those cliffs on the way down. Yes but not as tense as it would have been without those 2 wins

Its not just the housing shortage that's a problem. Its the NHS that cant cope with the extra strain, Roads, Public transport. The population in England and Wales has grown by 3.7 million in the last 10 year. London itself has grown by 12% in 10 years. We have 1 million young people without jobs, so I don't its wrong for the people in this Country to be concerned about immigration. We need immigrants for healthcare and skilled jobs but we don't need any more unskilled people.....I hate the UKIP but Labour opened the floodgates and we are paying for that now.

If you lose I will be celebrating. If you win I'll be jumping in the Grand Union Canal! Already done that 3 years ago lol PaulC? Which one? The jump or the bet? Please confirm! If it's the jump I'll have to think off throwing myself over the white cliffs of Dover! PS - Please don't tell me you've done that one as well! I actually fell in the Stratford canal. It was very muddy and went too near the edge and slipped in lol

Yes football is one of those sports when fans tend to be reactive rather than looking at the bigger picture.

If you lose I will be celebrating. If you win I'll be jumping in the Grand Union Canal! Already done that 3 years ago lol

100% agree with you.

Source? I thought it was common knowledge. Paul Faulkner "I can confirm that we have reached an agreement with Liverpool following an improved offer received earlier today and the submission of a formal transfer request by Stewart Downing, and have subsequently given them permission to speak with the player."

Yes me too, if he adds some composure to his game he's a future England player.

But they'll still be battling Arsenal for third, so I doubt it will. Yes maybe but I hope with all the games they have had to play and the Eufa cup final coming up they will not be quite at their best. It's like I'm back in the 90's Sorry I meant the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup final

Yep Didier Six was the first of them.

The speed he showed when setting up that chance for Weimann shows he has got most of his pace back to me.

But they'll still be battling Arsenal for third, so I doubt it will. Yes maybe but I hope with all the games they have had to play and the Eufa cup final coming up they will not be quite at their best.