I am incandescant with rage!

Nonu you may well be right but I don't think the programme was about that sort of thing.

I saw both episodes and didn't feel it added one jot to our understanding of the situation. I liked the Sikh girl though, her parents were determined to integrate when they came here in the 60s. The young 'Brit' didn't seem to get that his grandparents were immigrants.

I am not really talking of student accommodation , I am talking of houses of multi occupation, where immigrants stay, suppose could be classed as same !

Do they get checked by the LA and fire service ?

Just asking !

That's called 'student accommodation' Nonu

Also decided against watching Part 2 last night. Couldn't bear more of that stilted conversation in the limo or that 'they're taking our jobs' guff.

Yes Ana , I am sure it was . However there are many houses with people crammed in with insufficient toilets, wash hand basins.

Plus are they checked by the fire service ?

These things seemed not to be mentioned
.
As far as I can see these things are NOT being checked {I could be wrong of course}.

just seems all wrong to me but Diddly -dee.

Nick is a bit of an odd one - did anyone see him on Would I Lie To You? He seemed socially awkward and he had an odd habit at home but I can't remember what it was.

Wise choice, HollyDaze, wish I hadn't bothered. It was all too cosy.

The programme certainly didn't address any of the points raised in this thread's OP or the discussion which followed.

We wouldn't want smug Nick and Margaret to step outside their comfort zone would we?

I decided against watching it Ana - the tone of the first one was off-putting for me and your post says it hasn't improved at all with the second episode. Such a shame - it could have been handled in a way to show immigrants that it isn't them that are considered a problem but the sheer number of them; instead it came across (on the first episode) that the British were just moaning about something they didn't understand!

Oh, I've had enough! (of the programme)

Loved that Head Teacher's opinion that having a large intake of non-English-speaking pupils 'enriched the experience' of the local kids who were struggling with their own language...

Nonu, the French woman's accommodation was perfectly legit. - there were just a lot of people sharing one house, and the rent, between them.

Many excellent points here. I appreciate the many intelligent posts, whenim 's attempt for balance, and petra for your insights. We have the same issues here in the US, with no answers either. phoenix I understand a bit of your plight. I've been trying to get some work disability for months, but I am still employed, and I thank god for that. I think you are courageous and an inspiration to me!

Just wondering about houses of Multi-occupation.? ?

Just wondering about fire regulations ??

Are either of these two issues being addressed as they would if it was an English person running these places !!

Or is all being brushed under the carpet , as long as the people can be accommodated !!

Just asking,

Anyone else girding their loins for this next, ground-breaking episode?

I'll watch it, but so far, what's not to like about some hard-working Poles and a young Frenchwoman who works in the catering business and shares a house with loads of other young people?

Merlot I don't think they did earn anything for collecting the scrap, they were just given a piece of paper which said they had so that they became eligible to claim the benefits.

I did watch the programme last night and didn't think it added much to the debate because they matched up people from both sides and I didn't get the impression that all the immigrants were typical. They certainly were not the sort of scroungers immigrants are often perceived to be.

It did Ana - like being spoken to as though we're too thick to understand the realities of it all - a bit rich considering we all have to live with the consequences; actually, not all - I doubt many programme makers and politicians have to wait for services as we do.

Given that Michael Gove has had to take a £36,000 pay cut due to his new job says it all really: those making decisions about our lives have no idea about how are lives operate.

It came across as patronising and dull to me!

I might give tonight's episode a viewing then whenim64 - I just lose patience when they broadcast stuff that just isn't logical. I think the powers-that-be know that the natives (to use the term as it was used in the programme) are getting restless and it just came across as trying to pour oil on troubled waters.

I watched the programme too, HollyDaze. Even the Guardian was scathing about it today...

I don't think it's a question of either feeling sorry for them [or not] the Roma, I mean, more a question of why they should be here?Well, we know that, it's the Eu and we can't stop it happening.What we can and should stop, is is the child allowance going back to country of origin [and that should be every country by the way] it should only be granted to children living here.It's all madness. As phoenix says, she couldn't get much help when she needed it.

That was the first half, Holly. The other half is being broadcast tonight.

I didn't watch the Nick and whoever programme all the way through - it came across more as an advertisement for more immigration. How people can state that it isn't the fault of immigrants that the infrastructure is groaning and crumbling is beyond me - do they seriously not understand about the numbers of people now wanting to use it?

Please don't think I'm a bleeding heart, merlotgran. I'm not. If you saw my response on EU in or out, it was out out out.
What I am saying is: I have a lot of understanding of why they come here.
I would have to be a saint to defend them after being pick pocketed twice and have everything in my garden stolen by them.

I understand what you're saying about the poverty and lack of prospects in Romania, petra but why do we have to shoulder their problems?

I voted to stay in the common market as it was in the l970s not to have our borders opened to every lame duck in Europe at the expense of British taxpayers.

My gripe is that DH suffered severe stroke last December but do we qualify for any financial assistance no we do not. Have jumped though hoops and divulged all financial details but we still don`t qualify for anything. He does get DLA and it has been upped to higher rate for care component but that`s all and I`m the one left picking up the pieces caring full time and at the moment feeling hard done by

The programme when mentions might be interesting, but will probably be the usual left-wing biased BBC production - from what I've read there aren't any Roma included in either episode.