Star comment: Immigrants give us a life lesson

You have heard the claims that some are merely coming to scrounge on the benefits system, and the contrary arguments that they are stealing British jobs.

Today we report on the reality, hearing from some of those incomers themselves, and their Shropshire employer.

The picture at Ultimate Taxis in Newport, where 20 of the 34 drivers are from Eastern Europe – mainly from Romania and Hungary – is that the incomers are hungry for work.

And the views of managing director Terry Spooner do not reflect well on the work ethic of the British. The reason service industries are recruiting Eastern Europeans, he says, is that locally recruited staff are unreliable.

"I was being let down too often," he said.

Moving on to benefits, he says that has an effect in areas like the service industry because people weigh things up and do not think it is worth working when they can get not that much less on benefits.

The foreign taxi drivers who spoke to our reporter have something in common. They come over as enthusiastic, motivated, and keen to grab an opportunity.

It is a sad contrast to the impression you get, from the experience of this particular firm, of British workers – or non workers. It is difficult not to draw the conclusion that in many cases they believe that certain jobs are beneath them. They want it all, but are unwilling to put in the hard graft.

If you look at various sectors now, ranging from the hotel industry to the fruit and crop picking industries, it is striking how foreign workers have moved in.

Far from stealing British jobs, it appears they are taking jobs that the British are not prepared to do, or do with such reluctance that they do not make for reliable employees.

The debate over the influx of economic migrants will rumble on, but it is forcing the British to take a look at themselves in the mirror.