'There are no strangers here' - readers hit back at Starmer's migration speech
Do you agree with our readers? Have your say on these MetroTalk topics and more in the comments.
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Sir Keir Starmer has promised to 'significantly' drive down net migration (Metro, Tue).
In a speech outlining his plans, he warned of Britain becoming an 'island of strangers'. It reminded me of a line attributed to the poet WB Yeats – 'There are no strangers here, only friends you haven't met yet'. Brendan O'Brien, London
The UK economy is built on high-value services and high-end manufacturing. That means we need the brightest and best talent from around the world.
Throwing up barriers makes the UK a less attractive place to invest and will hurt the economy in the long run. Neil, Sutton Coldfield
John and Chris (MetroTalk, Tue) agree with me that the economy is 'in a fix' but lay the blame elsewhere than at Labour's door.
The bumper public-sector pay rises they agreed should have been linked to productivity improvements. It's worth noting that in 1997-2019 productivity in that sector increased by 0.2 per cent per year on average, compared with 1.1 per cent in the wider economy.
And while I agree Liz Truss was a disaster and Boris Johnson a shallow showman, you can't deny the impact of Covid (£310billion-£410billion) and energy support (£78billion).
Everyone approved of these measures at the time. Labour would have spent even more. As for the NHS, it doesn't really matter which of the two main parties are in power – they don't have the answers, or rather they do but those answers would never get them elected.
The welfare state would be sustainable if we all pay more – much more – but that would impact growth.
The most honest policy came from the Lib Dems a few elections ago in proposing a 2p-in-the-pound increase on the basic rate of tax to pay for the NHS. We know where that got them.
The fact is that in comparison with other developed countries, low-income and middle-income earners here pay less tax. More Trending
But if you won't increase personal taxes, watch Labour make unthinkable cuts. They've already started with the winter fuel allowance, benefits and PIPs – and there'll be more. John Daniels, Redhill
Further to mentions of 'running on the escalator' in discussions of grammar in MetroTalk, I see signs at stations saying people shouldn't do as such. I believe you cannot run on escalators or stairs – the signs should more properly declare, 'Do not lope on the stairs'. JG Cooper, Croydon
Here's anther doctor joke for you. I said to my doctor, 'Do you treat alcoholics?' 'Yes,' he said. 'Get your coat on,' I told him, 'we're going down the pub.' Jeff, Nuneaton
I'm afraid I can't add to the doctor discourse as I haven't seen one recently. I am, however, most impressed with these medical-detection dogs. The morning after a recent night out drinking, I asked one if it could tell how I felt. 'Ruff,' it replied. Julian Self, Wolverton
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