ERT - I accept what you say about some areas of cities with high immigrant populations having higher rates of criminality especially car crime, burglary, muggings etc. In London, it used to be said that Brixton, which has a large Afro-Carribean population, was a no-go area due to the likelyhood of being mugged by (black)youths. However, policing has been stepped up and members of the black community there have been active in trying to steer the young people away from crime. It seems to have worked. Brixton is now, for some, a must visit part of London - it even hosted Madonna's pre tour warm up gig;) What I'm saying is that although as Booklady pointed out you will find criminal elements amongst immigrants out to make a living (think Gangs of New York), overall the effect these immigrants have had is good. For example, the Afro-Carribean population in the UK has influenced our music, food, fashion, literature, youth culture, sports even our ways of partying (Notting Hill Carnaval). And the same could be said for the Indian/Pakistani and Chinese immigrant populations. I hesitate to say immigrants cause many of these groups have been here for years and I cannot think of them as anything other than British. We need immigration. Europe needs immigration. I personally don't think crime is worse now in London - if you read about how dangerous that city was in the 18th and 19th centuries it will make your hair stand on end.

One more thing ERT, you mentioned the fact that the Jews left Spain.In all the Spanish history books I've read it has been stated that they were expelled by the Catholic Kings which is quite different.

I do realise that mass immigration from far off lands was not possible until relatively recently but that does not mean to say that it is inevitably a disaster. The world changes, things move on and hopefully get better. This is the 21st century