The burgeoning British political party, UKIP,  which stands to benefit electorally from claims about EU immigration , puts the potential number of migrants who are likely to enter the UK from Roumania and Bulgaria, starting next January, at 350,000 .

This is unlikely, because most will go to Italy or to more-prosperous Germany.  But the furore on the subject from the usual suspects points up an important point.  Some years ago we employed a British workman who turned up at 9.30, asked for three pots of tea, did very little work and left at 3p.m. He was principally interested in telling us about his villa in Spain (I’m as good as you, Mate). He was seriously incompetent and probably lost all his business to Poles, who are properly trained and who work.  That man, and people like him, are in all probability voting against immigration and are helping to drive the rise of UKIP in the hope that they will get the work back.  Has he learned his lesson (good days work for a fair days pay)?  Probably not.

I have some underlying sympathy with people about immigration. It has totally changed the city in which I was born.  There are few discernable improvements, except that the food is better and three times the cost, but the cost of living has sky-rocketed, and  courtesy and consideration are at an all time low (not a direct result of immigration, but if you know and understand fewer and fewer people, and feel you have nothing in common with them you tend not to make an effort with them).   On other hand, if the immigrant are young, trained and willing to work, then they are needed.  There are too many good old boys, myself among them.

Epicurus, I believe, would be in favor of giving chances to those who are prepared to work hard and contribute to society.  But he might also warn against allowing changes to happen too quickly, without consultation with the people.   This is what Labour did and what US companies insisted on to get cheap labour.  Not wise.