Thursday 1 November 2007

"Councils seek more migrant funds"

Tee hee!

1) The Nulab government is forever telling us that migrants 'add £6 billion to the economy', so it's only fair that local councils are given extra money to cover the actual costs of migration. Calling the government's bluff, so to speak.

2) This is of course also a fine argument for more local and less national taxation. If immigration is really good for the economy (opinions differ - I am agnostic on this one), then local councils would be welcoming them with open arms, knowing that the extra tax they'll get exceeds the extra costs.

2 comments:

Scott Freeman said...

I don't think there can really be any question over the economic benefits of immigration, but only so long as that is market immigration i.e. not welfare driven. As Milton Friedman said "without welfare you can have free immigration".

If Laybuh won't scrap welfare (or at least migrant welfare) then they should tax migrants at a slightly higher rate than natives to correct for the overly attractive incentives they have created.

Mark Wadsworth said...

Simon, now you are talking! But don't forget that leaving welfare as it is but taxing migrants at a higher rate would discourage migrants from working.

Ergo, any sensible welfare system would be a Citizen's Basic Income type scheme. With a minimum period of residency. Ten years sounds about right to me.