Firstly I’m not trying to trick anyone with this question. I’m three quarters of the way through my social science module of my OU course and the current topics are migration and changing identities.

I have found the migration section interesting, in particular the fact that I am classed as a migrant. I was born and raised in Scotland and moved down to England many years ago therefore I am a migrant. It got me to thinking what do people class as a migrant and more importantly what do people feel about migrants coming into their country?

I found the following statement from the Chairman of Gwynedd County Council in an interview on BBC Radio Wales in 2001 rather shocking when I first read it – I wonder what you think?

“We are faced with a situation now where we are getting tidal waves of migration, inward migration into our rural areas from England, and these people are coming here to live to establish themselves here and to influence our communities and our culture with their own….It makes us even poorer and it is absolutely no use to the community to have retired people from England coming here to live and being a drain on our resources.”

So what did you think to the above? Initially I felt really cross with this person. Surely people coming into the community will bring additional revenue and with that boost the local economy? Then I took the emotion out of it and read the passage again. The main points are the fact that retired people are moving into the area. As these people grow older then unfortunately they will become a potential ‘drain’ (I have to say I don’t like that particular term!).

The fact that English speaking people move into an area and perhaps do not make an effort to learn the language can also be seen as a way of changing the dynamics of the community.

It’s certainly an interesting subject and has made me think a bit more about the impacts of migration. I’d love to hear what you think.

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