Sir, The sound and fury about workers from Bulgaria and Romania is similar to the forecasts of social unrest and economic disaster that were made before the UK opened its labour markets to workers from Poland, the Czech Republic and other Eastern European countries. However, those predictions of doom have not been realised.

Instead, the Polish plumber has become a much-loved feature of British life. And the migration of 2004, despite the underestimation of the numbers to come to the UK, has been a great success. It has plugged gaps in the labour market and boosted economic growth. Stereotypically these workers are young, motivated and economically active, with more than 80 per cent between 18 and 34. In contrast to some caricatures, very few of them have claimed state benefits. Indeed, young Poles, Czechs and others have clearly boosted Britain’s economy and public services such as the NHS.

It is no wonder that Italy recently became the latest country to reverse its initial restrictive policy on immigration from Eastern Europe. Now eight of the old EU fifteen have opened their labour markets to the workers of Eastern Europe whose countries joined the EU in 2004. Such developments should inform the decision of the UK Government when making its decision on Romania and Bulgaria.

As members of the advisory council of the organisation Business for New Europe, we believe that this is a crucial and sensitive issue for Britain’s economy and society. We should think twice before being rushed into a hasty decision.

SIR MARTIN SORRELL
Chief executive, WPP

PHILIP HAMPTON
Chairman, Sainsbury’s

VIJAY PATEL
Chief executive
Waymade Healthcare

Sir, I strongly disagree with Melanie McDonagh’s argument about possible Turkish migrant workers (“Poles aplenty? Wait till the Turks arrive,” times2, Aug 23).

It is essential that Europeans assist that important strategic node on the borders of the Middle East in developing the necessary democratic institutions and values to join the rest of Europe. The EU is not so much a geographical entity, but a valued community, and so long as Turkey continues along the road of reform, one day it must be allowed in. To block Turkey’s preparations for accession over fears of migration would reinforce Islamist extremism and prevent the nation from developing as quickly as it would under the guide of the EU’s hand. Turkey’s isolation would be a moral, economic and strategic folly.

JAMES ROGERS
Pembroke College, Cambridge

Sir, Your leader “Working for Britain” (Aug 23), applauds the fact that whereas the government estimated that between 5,000 and 13,000 immigrants a year would come from the former Soviet bloc following accession to the EU, 427,000 actually arrived, but of those 80 per cent are between 18 and 34 with 97 per cent in full-time employment.

In Britain there are 600,000 young people (excluding students), aged 16 to 24, who are economically inactive. The unfortunate truth is that while young people from Eastern Europe are prepared to work hard for a modest hourly rate, many of our own youngsters prefer to live off unemployment benefit, which is approximately the same as the minimum wage when tax is taken into account. The problem can only become worse as the culture of dependency is inherited by the next generation with yet more immigrants coming in to the country to fill the skills gap and escalating taxes failing to prevent a serious dislocation of the social infrastructure.

JOHN BARKER
Macclesfield, Cheshire

Sir, You recently reported (Aug 8) concerns that thousands of potential visitors from poverty-stricken and unstable states have had their visa applications refused simply because they come from states with a record of generating asylum-seekers and illegal migrants.

The first duty of our embassy staff is to look after the interests of our country. If our diplomats believe that the reason people want to “visit” the UK is to take advantage of our lax monitoring then they have a duty to refuse an application.

NEIL THOMAS
Birmingham

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