One of the misjoys of coming back to the UK, even only for a few days, is hearing all the rancour about benefit tourism. Current talk is about limiting the benefits of EU migrants, which is somewhat self-defeating as people from the EU (or more specifically, the 2004 accession countries of Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, & Lithuania) have been persistent nett contributors to UK finances since they were allowed to work in the UK unrestricted.
What politicians are really after is CHOBs (Completely Hopeless On Benefits), but for political reasons are unable to admit that CHOBs are overwhelmingly home-grown. Think of the typical chav on Natch or White Lightening, who probably does not even have a passport, and compare them to the Poles down the road who quite likely have a degree. Moving country requires a certain level of facilities and resources that true welfare state drains simple do not have. One thing that my travels has taught me is that migrants tend to have economically liberal political leanings, with views of the welfare state generally being negative, and often they migrate because they want to self-improve. These people frequently regard Socialism as evil.
The whole debate in the UK boils down to one thing: Xenophobia. And you know a country is royally screwed when it has to scrape these dregs up from the bottom of the barrel. If there is a problem with illegal immigrants, which down to earth are really just a subset of cash-in-hand work, the solution is to fix the problems with legal employment. Until that happens the world’s best stay away, local experts (and just about everyone else with the means) who can jump ship do so, and the whole place sinks into a quagmire.