Well we can all say what we feel and look back in Anger or whatever about previous Years. BUT and there is always a BUT, as sure as eggs are eggs 2022 will arrive and for me it will be just the same as 2021 and the previous 4/5 years
Still in the same old dog house then Jack? Only joking Jack, blessed is the contented man. Stay safe JB
147,000 people have died from Covid in the UK, so lots of room to absorb these. Tales of creaking heath services, crowded cities and facilities and (picking up on NMRN's point), no green space left, are a myth created in order to whip up hysteria. This works quite well with the socially 'brain dead'.
The OFFICIAL figures (the ones you use) are the MISINFORMATION. I met Filipino students (not singling them out but they are the ones I had contact with) in the UK in around 2010 and some stayed there to work in the Black Economy (i.e. they became illegals). But as the UK never counted them at the point of leaving and is unable to count many of those entering illegally, the figures are meaningless. I have read estimates of from 2 to 5 million illegals in the UK, meaning it is just a guessing game. And why EXCLUDE asylum-seekers awaiting decisions from the official figures??? These are mostly illegal entrants and are far in excess of the OTHER illegal immigrants, plus they are unlikely to leave even if refused permission to stay (this is what they do in the UK). Giving a figure of between 2.8 and 3.7 million is VAST misinformation as there are more than that is some SINGLE countries (probably including the UK). If I am allowed to guess, which is what official figures are doing, then there must be around 20 to 50 million illegals in Europe.
There's nothing "official" in the numbers I gave, they are estimates from the Pew Research Center in Washington, a well established think tank. There is absolutely nothing to suggest they would be in the guessing business. As for excluding asylum seekers awaiting a decision on their asylum application, arguably those are not illegal residents during that time. Obviously, overstaying their welcome after a negative decision on their application would include them in the "illegals" count again.
We disagree on some points (even though 'estimates' and guesses' are often the same thing!) but with all the misery of people seriously affected by Odette perhaps we should just feel Blessed and have a Happy Christmas and 2022 (hopefully).