"A short, sharp and compelling book." The Observer
At a time when immigration has once again become a deeply contentious political issue, Jonathan Portes provides some much-needed clarity, taking on misinformation and inaccurate reporting to reveal the true economic and social impact of immigration to the UK.
This important book covers a short history of immigration to the UK, uses the latest research and data to summarise how it is financially beneficial to the economy, considers it's positive effects on contemporary society, and provides straightforward answers to commonly asked questions such as: does immigration push down wages? Does it reduce job opportunities for those born in the UK? And what impact does it have on the NHS and other public services? Portes then proposes what we should do about immigration, defining what a post-Brexit system should look like, and outlining what, if anything, we should do to promote integration further.
Written by leading social scientists, the What Do We Know and What Should We Do About...? series offers concise, up-to-date overviews of issues often oversimplified, misrepresented or misunderstood and shows you how to enact change.
"If you want to learn a lot about what matters most, in as short a time as possible, this is the series for you."- Danny Dorling, 1971 Professor of Geography, University of Oxford
1. IntroductionBackground3. What Do We Know About Immigration: Economics4. What Do We Know: About Immigration Beyond Economics5. What Should We Do About Immigration6. ConclusionAppendix A: The East African AsiansAppendix B: Emigration - The Impacts on Countries of OriginAppendix C: Free Movement in the EU
A short, sharp and compelling book. The message of the book is clear – in a war of competing narratives, the line on immigration pedalled by the rightwing press cannot be allowed to stand. An ideological battle must be fought with facts and stories that counter the dominant representation of migrants as a threat to economic stability and societal cohesion.
