Comment by Aurornis

> One of these seems like the solution to the other.

If the per capita spending is exceeding per capita taxation, increased immigration does not solve the problem. More people requires more spending.

> The UK has always been an empire in decline

I find this fatalistic attitude to be very unhelpful in determining good policy decisions. If you start with the assumption that the empire is in decline then it doesn’t seem as bad to add policies that contribute to decline, as long as you get some short-term win out of it.