Has anyone looked at where these immigrants come from? The government is very quick to put a cap on skilled immigrants. They should put a cap on the refugee/asylum immigrations who come to Britain in hordes and put a strain on the social services. We want more skilled people to come to Britain.

Korhkullu, Bristol,

A cap on immigration controlled by a points system that makes it impossible for someone who makes a graduate wage to immigrate will not create long standing residents. It allows people on high incomes to come, and then leave when they can make more money somewhere else. Recent graduates are the key!

Dan, Cardiff,

Racists are those who do not want to see anyone of a different colour on these islands. The people who simply want to maintain cohesiveness of society by allowing controlled and moderate legal immigration should not be classified as racist. Any country needs to keep control of its borders, surely?

Charan Muzaya, London, UK

It's one thing to welcome newcomers. It's another to allow your culture to be swept away in the tide. I hope England, and my own country, come to their senses. And let's be honest, on both sides of the Atlantic it's the Left driving this madness. Another self-destructive ideal forced upon us.

Steve, New York City, USA

Same old story but nothing will happen?

Dave, Cardiff,

Excellent article. We are fighting the exact same battle in the US. Those of us who oppose illegal immigration...or even our ridiculously high level of legal immigration...are called "racists" and "xenophobes" because most immigrants (legal and illegal) are Spanish-speakers from Latin America.

Rex, Dunedin, FL, USA,

It isn't racist to wish for a cap on immigration, but it is forty years too late.

David, Wolverhampton, England

"To all the British folks who are fed up with the state in Britain and are emigrating, does it sound a little hypocritical? Are you sure folks in other countries want you?

George, Palo Alto, USA"

Did you and your ancestors stop to aks them same question of the Native American Indians?

john moore, windsor, england

I don't understand why Britain has allowing unlimited immigration from Eastern Europe who cannot speak English. I think the basic requirement for any immigrant coming to Britain should be based on language and integrating to English/British people. There should be a limitation, of course.

Ramdas, Manchester,

This might not be the best place for me to express my opinion because I'm a citizen of another country, but since I live in the UK I feel affected. I personally think that Britain should review its immigration policy and stop letting low-skilled immigrants in since there is no need in them anymore.

Daniil, Liverpool, UK

Those who agree with immigration are the ones who rely on them for cheap labour.
If we havent enough skilled people in this country ,train more.
If i remember rightly, it was Thatchers goverment that shut down the 'skill centres'
Enough is enough

graham, Swansea, UK

Enoch Powell will prove to be correct in his predictions of thirty years ago. We thank God we were able to escape from the UK nearly 20 years ago after spending the first 40 years of our lives there and seeing it going downhill, just not as fast as it has declined in the quality of life there since

David, Orlando, USA

I often see ex-pats derided as 'failing to see the irony' when commenting here.
However, I understand as a Singapore PR that my status depends upon my contribution. If I do not work, I leave. I have no free healthcare; no benefits. I have fewer rights than citizens, but I don't decry SG as racist.

Paul, Singapore,

Britain has become a soft target when ever things don't go the way the ethnic minorities way they scream Racism.
If anyone who is not Emirati wants to live and work in the United Arab Emirates there are strict rules - people coming here accept this full stop - no cries of "R"

JOHN, Dubai,

I come three years - by passport £300 - now British.

Ali, London,

Forcing a quart into a pint pot is what we have tried to do for decades.Now our tiny island is too over crowded !
Result; the annual floods are due in part to concreting over large areas of land ,and then if it doesn't rain for a few months we impose hose pipe bans as we may run out of water !

Mike, Dunstable, England

I wish more people had the courage to stand up and be counted. As an ordinary hardworking British citizen I am sick to death of having to pay taxes to fund immigrants who haven't paid a penny into the Country. If they must come here they should pay into the system before taking anything out of it.

Ann, Chester,

Nice to read if only this Govt would act!

Dean, Southampton, England

I have just returned from holiday and it is a theme picked up by most over 50 British you speak to, our way of life is being stolen. Its time got a government who looks after its indiginous population, then perhaps a halt will be called. Try getting into Australia and NZ, they are far tougher.

Graham, Driffield, UK

Britain has lost its identity, not just because of the mass immigration, but also because of the gradual loss of freedom and rights. My Sister was once told she was at the bottom of a waiting list for housing because she was white English, that wouldn't happen anywhere else.

Steven Porter, Barcelona, Spain

'How will England cope if the present predicted levels of large-scale immigration take place? If this scale of immigration continues..... what will it mean to be British?
Missing the point, as ever. Seems I can be regarded as British but to claim to be English is xenophobic, racist etc

m collins, Leeds,

If you have different communities large enough to live separately from each other and never to merge you will have a form of tribalism and bloodshed. Kenya took the tribal route and Tanzania a united nation route. I have lived in both I can see the difference. The UK is now divided into tribes.

Roger Corfield, Arusha, Tanzania

Why is it courageous when Trevor Phillips, speaks of our society “sleepwalking into segregation” and of “a kind of cold war in some parts of the country”, but it's rabid racism when the BNP and their fellow travellers say exactly the same?

paul, sheffield, UK

I am an Indian living in India and I TOTALLY AGREE WITH THIS ARTICLE. Immigration must never continue to a point where the existing population feels threatened. IN INDIA, WE HAVE HAD ETHNIC cleansing of Kashmiri Hindus who had to flee Kashmir and also illegal Bangladeshi migration into India.

ramesh, madras , india

The world will have a population of approximately 9 billion by the middle of this century and a large proportion of these people will be poor and desperate to emigrate to wealthier countries. Ulitmately we cannot afford to be too generous and need an immigration policy that recognises this fact.

David Lea-Smith, Edinburgh, U.K.

In some way I agree, cities such as London are overcrowded, regardless of who is filling them. I certainly feel this increase in population (including other Brits moving to London) has been 'too much too soon'.
But to say "British people are not racist"? In comparison to who?!

Alex, London,

you see the problem is this, if we native brits want to go another country with a different culture we know we have to fit in or suffer the consequences! but in England we are seeing our culture, way of life slowly erased as we are forced to change so we fit in with immigrants ! which isnt right!

mark, london,

This Labour government is responsible for the mass migration to our shores yet steadfastly refused to acknowledge that it is a problem. With Labour it is a about ideology and a complete denial of the truth that every intelligent thinking person understands so clearly. Labour has to go! PLEASE!

D Case, Newquay,

The tone of the article is basically right.For too long the debate has been drowned out by vested interests.How many media folk and assorted politicos have benefitted from cheaper au pairs, nannies and gardners etc, yet they are not the people losing out in the jobs and housing markets.

Paul, Tonbridge, UK

With govt dictat of "positive" discrimination for immigrants that derides the native British citizen, it's no wonder we're getting worried & restless.

We need to look after our own and close our doors for a while to regroup and let the situation settle down, or nobody will know what "British" is.

Eleanor, Hants, UK

Not wanting your country to be overcrowded with PEOPLE is not racist. It leads to less social pressures and strains and, indeed, to a better quality of life all round. World governments should get together and work out an optimum level of human population per land mass.

Mick, Cork, Ireland

What will it mean to be British? That we welcome diversity and admire the courage and ambition shown by people who up sticks and move across the world in search of a better life.

What's needed is a change in attitude and for us ALL to embrace positive British values- decency, equality, respect...

Richard , London, UK

There is no democratic mandate for the widescale immigration.

Britain is no longer a tolerant homogenous society with shared christian values or common purpose.

Governments have sown the wind and will reap the whirlwind, Archbishop.

John Collins, Bromley, Kent

I would like to hear sound proposals from all those who call for immigration to continue - where do they propose the infrastructure comes from? London's water table repeatedly runs far too low; the rail network is in tatters; the roads are dilapidated...

JB, Seef, Bahrain

The sewer systems are so overloaded they pump raw sewage into the sea; the UK electricty grid is struggling and policy makers are clueless how to best meet future demands.
Therer are TOO MANY people in the UK...
Wake up people!!!

JB, Seef, Bahrain

Sorry to take part in this debate because i am from a different country myself. However, when reading these report i think is not right. We should forget the racism but have harmony between one another because this world has always acceptet peoples movement. We bad and good every wher. God bless UK

Artan Hasalliu, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom

If we need more skilled workers, why not a) train unemployed British people and b) ensure that current schoolchildren are developing the skills we need? If we continue to look at immigration as a separate policy area, we'll never get our act together.

MarkChina, Beijing,

Every nation has the obligation to protect its borders. And, I do understand that there are cultural incompatibilities that need to be considered. But I do feel that there's an inclination to have a diverse society, and its an important aspect of the British. Thus, change is inevitable and its good.

A. Gil, London, UK

It isn't "racist" to want to preserve your way of life, unless of course, you're white. Visha Patel, is your ancestral homeland actively solicting millions of white Christian immigrants and giving them "positive discrimination" and other special privileges not available to the natives? Thought not.

MaryJ, San Francisco, USA

There is a huge difference between race and religion. If people of any race with ability want to come here we should let them come. But keep the religious out. Allowing god and religion more power in our adminstrative and education systems will destroy the UK.

Michael, London, UK

In response to Mr Vishal Patel - I suggest you return to the country of your forbears - prior to their immigration to my country.

Most of East Europe is now the EU.

My wife of 12 years is still not given the rights of most Pakistani families & I am directly descended from a upper class family

Richard, Bucharest,

There has been too much focus on the rights of ethnic minorities for too long. This many believe has led the authorities to turn a blind eye to tax evasion, and illegal practices.
There is now a percepetion govt agencies discriminate for non Christian groups and those hostile to us.

Dave, Chorley,

We need to roll back the tide with a total halt to immigration and start deportations.

Dave, Chorley,

I am proud to be English but it sickens me to see the state our country has been led into. How multi cultural we are was shown at Nottinghill and by the number of home grown terror suspects. Vote BNP? it is becoming very tempting!

Grant, Bingley, ENGLAND

Jesus stayed completely away from worldly affairs, the Archbishop should do likewise.

Adele-Dawn, Abbotsford , Canada

Adele:
The whole objective of Jesus' teachings was
to guide us in our conduct of our worldly affairs:
"Thou shalt not kill, steal, commit adultery...bear false witness..

Garth Rex, Glendale Heights, USA

Immigration should no longer bge used to describe the current situation. I suggest colonization, or possibly conversion.
I leave others to debate the conversion into what?

Dave, Chorley,

Why is a former Archbishop of Canterbury meddling in politics? does he not realize that religion and politics make strange bedfellows? Jesus stayed completely away from worldly affairs, the Archbishop should do likewise.

Adele-Dawn, Abbotsford , Canada

Visha Patel -- we cannot stop most of the E Europeans, as they are now EU citizens. But if, instead, you had said 'from the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand' - countries very difficult for most Brits to migrate into, but whose own citizens seem to have almost taken over London - then why indeed?!

G. Green, Bristol, UK

I am desperately trying to re-skill and get the finance together to get out of the UK with my partner and 3 month old son. I really hate living in Britain and I'm only 37. It's turned into a place whereas a member of the majority, I fell locked up in a PC prison, not allowed a voice or opinion.

Mark, London, England

To all the British folks who are fed up with the state in Britain and are emigrating, does it sound a little hypocritical? Are you sure folks in other countries want you?

George, Palo Alto, USA

Why not stop all immigration including that from Eastern Europe?

Why just from Asia and Africa? Are those people "less worthy"?

Vishal Patel, London, UK

The remark : "If this scale of immigration continues, (...), what will it mean to be British?" is actually the core of ANY racist theory that disguises as cultural protection. Just replace "British" by any historically racist society (past or present) and look at the shocking result...

Carlos Ribeiro, Sao Paulo, Brazil

Hospitality to strangers, whether based on religion or culture, is laudable if they are visitors or travellers.
Encouraging strangers who move into one's house intending to stay permanently (and without integrating) is another matter.
The UK is horribly over-populated - our concern is NOT racist.

G. Green, Bristol, UK

UK is simply overpopulated and all illegal immigrants must be deported.

m wilson, bidache, france

I never thought I'd see the day when a former Archbishop of Canterbury would fall for the claptrap pushed out by racists and use such weasel terms as "balanced migration".

It is appeasement and he wants consensus! Never. A sad article.

Richard, Plymouth,

imigration isnt a problem its is an opportunity. we should be looking to attract the best and brightest from around the world and anybody else who the ecconomy needs. not mention balancing emmigration and a brith rate not enough to sustain the population just abandon multiculturalism we will b fine

will, grimsby, uk

Too late, Lord Carey. Too little, and far too late.

England is unrecognisable as the country I was born in 50 years ago. That's why emigration is so popular.

And tinkering with quotas is pointless - Labour has blown the borders so wide open that illegal immigrants simply become invisible.

j grffiths, manchester, england

The hysteria over immigration has blinded us to the problem of mass emigration. Year after year thousands of highly skilled workers are leaving the UK for work abroad, this will only get worse in a shrinking economy, ironically the problem of balancing migration may be that too many want to leave.

Joseph Rogers, Warwick, UK

Its really not a matter of racism or immigration proforma people, its about people preserving their society from outsiders who are seeking change. Immigrants expect to be incorporated into society, while citizens, their heritage dating hundreds of hundreds of years, only want to continue their live

Orlando, Brookline, US