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There are twice as many Poles living in Britain than the Government’s official estimates, according to the Polish Embassy.
The figures highlight how much the Government has underestimated the influx from Eastern Europe. The migration is causing problems for local authorities, which are complaining about the impact on health, social services and housing.
The Polish Embassy estimates that there are 500,000 to 600,000 Poles living in Britain, compared with the official figure of 307,000. The estimates come from economic and consular researchers in liaison with Home Office statisticians. They would mean that Poles are now the third-largest minority ethnic group in the UK, after Pakistanis and Indians. If the pattern is repeated in the other seven former communist countries that joined the EU in 2004, there would be nearly a million Eastern Europeans in Britain — about one in sixty of the population.
In an interview with The Times, Barbara Tuge-Erecinska, the new Polish Ambassador, said that Poles must be very satisfied with life in Britain, because they keep coming.
Latest Home Office figures show that by last September, 307,000 Poles had signed the Workers Registration Scheme in Britain, out of 510,000 from new EU members.
Ms Tuge-Erecinska said: “There are more than 307,000 because those that are already more or less established here have their families with them, those that establish themselves as self-employed or open businesses have no need to register and then there are probably big groups that are coming just for very short periods.”
The Home Office has long admitted that there are far more Eastern Europeans in Britain than those registered to work, but estimates still fall far short of those produced by the Polish Embassy. In August Tony McNulty, then the Immigration Minister, said he thought there were 600,000 people from Eastern Europe.
The Local Government Association and the Improvement and Development Agency have just launched a campaign to encourage ministers to acknowledge the extra burden by including migrants in local population counts. Boroughs in the South East say they are having to provide services for thousands of extra migrants.
Ms Tuge-Erecinska said that there were now so many Polish children in British schools that they should teach Polish history and culture. Such a move would help Polish children to preserve their culture and language, and to make it easier for British children to understand about their new classmates.
There are already more than 50 Polish Saturday schools around the country offering language and cultural lessons.
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I the whole idea of multiculturalism has got bit too far and clearly interfers with integration of people int o the society. Modern and fast communication restrict integration of people into the society as it is easier for them to keep the links to the country of origin.
I overall I think people from eastern Europe are still better solution for UK than from outside: namely africa, middle east or asia as they share very similra cultural and religious background.
Dusan, London, UK
The truth is that the introduction of a number of Immigrants has helped the UK more than hindered it, in much the same way as the country encouraged people to work and live in this country following the second World War as well as during the 50's and 60's. We would all be worse off without them.
Alex, Stone, Staffordshire
At the end of the War, tens of thousands of ex-servicemen from the Polish Free Forces, who were unable to return home, were made to feel welcome and settled in Scotland. Most of this generation of Poles made a great contribution to Scotland and have left thousands of descendants. The second wave of hard-working Poles from the new E.U. Member State have also been welcomed and are contributing to the Scottish economy. Like the vast majority of Scots, the Poles have an inbred work ethic. In contrast to the over-populated South East of England, new blood is badly needed to stop Scotland's falling population. Surprisingly, at the last census the Registrar General for Scotland found the largest ethnic group came from England, and Wales ! Many originally came for a Scottish tertiary education, must have liked the quality of life here, and stayed permanently! At the last census in Canada (which includes the French-speaking Province of Quebec) the Federal government revealed that out of a total population of 27.3 million, some 5.15 million people, (the approximate population of Scotland today) claimed they were Scottish, or of Scots descent! Many of those have surnames like Kowalski, Licznerski, Laza, Stepek, and Tata?
Mr. Lachie Todd, Edinburgh, Scotland, U.K.
I am a citizen of Slovakia and I agree to the very last point with the opinion expressed by ALi C
Robert, Zilina, Slovakia
The more Polish citizens the better.
They like us as a people and vice versa.
There is no religious in tolerance which causes civil and financial
problems to the rest of us.
They share the Northern sentiment and get on with their lives.
The Poles were great allies against the Hun in WW2, and their women
are beautiful.
Brian Charles Seals, Scarborough,
The goverment as never been able to count, it does not matter what the subject is. There put out figures and then down the road it seem they change, always upwards.
With education standards on the decline, I don't think it will change.
I have been coming back to England off and on for years, my passport number is never entered into a counputer, so therefore it is not know if I am there, I can tell you the American goverment know my travel history in and out the country.
bernard michael, delray, FL. U.S.A.
My grandparents immgrated to the USA MANY years ago. they embraced the American culture immediately & learned to speak English, etc. My father was born in the USA and raised as an American. My grandparents said if they wanted him to be Polish they would have stayed there. Many Polish customs were still celebrated and I can make pierogi, etc. as good as any Pole! In fact, my father became a very successful business owner and town father. He & his parents would have NEVER demanded Polish history be taught in US schools. From my perspective multiculturalism interferes with assimilation and is the major reason more present day immigrants are not like my grandparents.
M. Lawlor, Florida, USA
OH my God! Firstly:
"Barbara Tuge-Erecinska, the new Polish Ambassador, said that Poles must be very satisfied with life in Britain, because they keep coming." - No, they are just terrified of staying in Poland and not being able to find a job. As a Brit having lived in Poland for two years I know how bad it is here for young people in Kaczynski's Poland - they can see no viable future for themselves.
Secondly, why should we teach Poles their culture in British schools? That's what their parents are for. Does Ms Tuge-Erecinska think for one moment Poland would teach British children their culture in Polish schools? The arrogance of her proposal is astonishing, once again 'multiculturalism' gone mad. If you go to another country (like I have), learn the language and bloody well fit in!
ALi C, Warsaw, Poland
Well, here we go once again - the tail of multiculturalism looking to wag the dog of our British culture.
If the new Polish ambassador thinks we should teach Polish history and culture in our schools because there are so many Polish children there, many thoughts spring to mind, not least the notions that my very substantial taxes are helping to pay for them and that if they want to learn Polish history and culture, the best place to learn them is Poland.
Otherwise learn British history and culture - there's a lot more of it, and it will take you a lot further in the world.
Martin, London, UK