The coal mining industry was the lifeblood of South Yorkshire. People were encouraged not to seek further education and to get a job in the local heavy industries. This was yanked away in the 1980's and the place really suffered. The jobs have recently been replaced with factories and service jobs. This has meant that a lot of EU workers have moved into the area and they are very welcome and make a valuable contribution to the economy.
This isn't strictly true. I have heard many shocking facts from people who work alongside the visiting workers. A guy with a family who has been waiting for council housing has been bypassed on the waiting list by visiting workers. When he challenged the authorities they said that the visiting workers had 'different circumstances'. The factory owners benefit from the cheap immigrant labour. They provide accomodation for their workers and pay reduced wages, very little of which go into the local economy because the visitors save it all up and take it back home. The most shocking fact is that they are allowed to claim child benefits for children back in Poland and Portugal. Surely this is wrong?
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