I read the latest article by your regular contributor Ed Deedigan with mounting concern that some of your readers may believe what he writes is based on historical fact.

I think he is completely wrong when he says that our country was built on the sweat of immigrants and on the profits from the slave trade.

The UK was the first major power to abolish the slave trade in 1807 and, at its peak, this deplorable trade is estimated to have only contributed five per cent to the country’s economy. Thus abolition was well before the extended period of economic growth that resulted in the UK (which then included Ireland of course) being the world’s major economic power by the end of the 19th century.

This achievement was the result of many factors but, from the history I have read, if we have to single out the main ones they would be the brilliant technical innovation behind industrial revolution, the free trade policies pursued by the governments of the day, and the much derided Protestant work ethic of the middle and working classes that lead to our manufacturing excellence.

Looking specifically at immigration into the UK, it is another myth that we have always had continuous large-scale immigration, as since the Norman conquest mass immigration into this country did not start until the 1950s. While many of those arriving since then have worked hard to make successful lives in their new home, I cannot see that this has any relevance to the current crisis we are seeing in Calais to which Mr Deedigan’s solution seems to be, let them all in!

If we are to allow unrestricted entry into this country, then we should all be aware that there are potentially many millions living in Africa and Asia who would give everything for the chance for a better life here and who would blame them?

Unfortunately, Allowing unrestricted immigration of what are mainly uneducated, unskilled workers will only have the net effect of depressing further average wages in this country. I fear the end result will mean that the minimum wage becomes the normal wage for working people of all kinds.

I also predict that it will almost certainly probably lead to an increase in the modern slavery. Who does Mr Deedigan think owns these modern day slaves I wonder? Overall, This will lead to a massive reduction in average UK living standards, to say nothing of the prospect of concreting over the countryside to build the homes to accommodate all these new arrivals. In the end, I fear our county will become just like the countries the would-be immigrants are trying to escape from. and who will benefit then, except Marxists perhaps by creating conditions ripe for revolution?

So, yes, Mr Deedigan, we should be compassionate, compassionate about our fellow countrymen, especially the young, who are already struggling to make a living.

These would be immigrants in Calais are not fleeing persecution. No one is persecuting them in France which is, like ours, a civilised country and a country that, let us not forget, has a socialist government. Under international law the French government has a duty to support those living rough in the Calais ‘jungle’ and assess the validity of their claims to asylum. Those with valid claims should be given asylum, those who do not should be sent back to whence they came without delay.

Graham Carroll, Maple Close, Calne.