Multi-cultural society ... but has immigration gone too far? A SHOCK new survey has revealed how Britons feel badly let down by Labour's shambolic handling of immigration. More than two-thirds of the 1,500 adults quizzed by YouGov feel the surge in immigrants - 163,000 in 2008 alone - has had a negative impact on the UK. See more poll results below. Here, Sun writer ANILA BAIG, whose parents were immigrants, says it is time for the public to speak up. And, in the column on the right, we hear from two Poles who have successfully settled here.
MY parents came to this country from Pakistan in the 1960s and I was born here. I am not against immigration because if I was I'd be sending myself back to where I didn't come from.
As far as I'm concerned I'm British through and through.
I'm also proud of my community. People came here with a few pounds in their pockets and have built up empires.
They slaved night and day to give their children a better life and people like my parents have given a lot back - in taxes and in upholding the values that made this country one of the most admired in the world.
I personally think immigration has been good for this country.
I love multi-cultural, multi-coloured Britain; the fact that you can walk through different parts of London and experience diverse worlds.
But they say you can have too much of a good thing. As well as the positives, there are also some negatives.
Sixty-nine per cent of people questioned for our survey believe that Labour has let immigration get out of control.
I don't think this is because people are inherently racist. The problem seems to be the way the issue has been handled by this Government.
Abuse
According to the survey, a whopping 83 per cent of people want to see a cap on immigration, and 80 per cent want to see more illegal immigrants deported.
The simple, unfortunate fact is that the British National Party is gaining in popularity, and 53 per cent of those quizzed worry the racist party is capitalising on this issue.
If it is a choice between discussing immigration and ruffling a few feathers or ignoring it and letting the BNP come to power, then obviously I'm all for discussing it.
The other unfortunate fact is that immigration IS out of control - it must be if we hear of people coming over on student visas to study higher education and it turns out the colleges don't even exist.
How hard can it be to have a list of real educational institutions? How is it even possible that in this country you can pretend you are at a fictitious establishment?
The Government has tried to tackle the issue by introducing citizenship tests, which are pointless and open to abuse.
People don't want immigrants to take a citizenship test, they just want fewer immigrants.
Instead of these tests, why not actually take care on our borders? I couldn't believe it when a recent Sun investigation showed people using passports with completely different photos were still waved through.
And if someone is willing to come here illegally, what else are they going to do illegally?
Gangs are a real problem and, frankly, we have enough problems with homegrown criminals without those from other countries.
It's bad enough if people are coming here for the generous handouts. But coming here to widen their criminal activity is completely out of order.
And it makes my blood boil when the Government then proves itself impotent when it comes to dealing with the consequences. Take Mustaf Jama, released from prison but not sent back to Somalia because the Home Office deemed it "too dangerous."
He stayed here and was part of the gang that killed PC Sharon Beshenivsky.
Stupid
On a less serious but also frustrating level, how can government policy be so stupid as to allow people who have never worked here to be entitled to live in a mansion?
While the rest of us are having the financial life sucked out of us, it beggars belief that every other week we see a newcomer proudly showing off their 50in plasma TV.
In a way I don't blame them. But it fuels hatred towards the rest of us and we all get tarred by the same brush.
Don't get me wrong, despite my examples, I know that many come here simply for a better life.
Like my parents, they keep their heads down and work hard. Some even give their lives for this country, quite literally.
And there are the likes of Sukhwinder Singh, the have-a-go hero who chased two muggers who had robbed a woman and ended up being stabbed to death.
There are also, sometimes, tensions between older communities and newer ones.
I've been told to get back to where I came from by someone speaking broken English who had obviously just got here themselves.
It's not a black and white issue. It is emotive and, like I said, it does get hijacked by racists.
But it is common sense that our borders should be tightened, criminals should be kicked out and we should know how many, and exactly who, is coming here.
I'm not saying there is no more room in Britain, but it's time to stop sweeping immigration under the carpet and face up to it.
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