Immigration is a bit like the dark - people tend to be scared of it despite the fact that it is unlikely to do them any harm. There is now only a small minority of people who do not think that our society has been enriched over the past 50 years by the huge cultural wealth brought to this country by successive waves of immigration. However, whenever cyclical immigration picks up, there is a wail of hysteria within the pages of certain tabloids which is pounced upon by a section of the public too stupid to buy a better paper.
This is, of course, nothing new. Around 100 years ago, there was considerable consternation over a large wave of Eastern European immigration. People were scared that East London would become overcrowded, that resources would be overstretched, that these poor newcomers would bring unwelcome foreign influences and fail to adapt to British culture. Well, the good news is that Britain just about survived the arrival of our great-grandparents. It even benefited. Within a couple of years of their arrival, it was possible to find an emergency tailor, and the quality of chartered accountancy rose dramatically.
Successive waves of immigration have elicited a similar response. The Bangladeshi community replaced the Jews in the East End. There were no rivers of blood but it did become possible to get a very tasty curry to go with your Brick Lane bagel. The West Indians arrived - now we have Europe's biggest street carnival. The Poles showed up - suddenly our toilets flush properly. And despite all the gloom of the credit crunch, we still have the world's fourth largest economy. Immigration has not been a complete disaster then.
However, the doom-mongers are back. Britain's population is set to rise to 77 million within 50 years, largely due to immigration. This influx, it is said, will heap further pressure on public services, particularly the NHS. But hang on a minute - we are also being told that our population is ageing and that our birth rate is dropping. What we need are more young people. Well, the Lithuanians who moved in next door a couple of years ago are all pretty youthful and unlikely to put a strain on the NHS, (although they do need to cut back on the smoking). Surely they can help us look after our old people.
There is also the glaringly obvious fact that countries which have attracted the most immigration have been the most successful. The USA, Canada and Australia are three of the richest countries in the world. They would be nothing without their immigrants. Israel is packed with the descendents of penniless migrants from all over Europe and the Middle East. Neighbouring Syria and Jordan have had no such influx. Which is the most prosperous and vibrant economy in that region?
We only need to start worrying when the immigrants decide to settle in countries other than the UK. When a society's prosperity evaporates, so do the immigrants. If the downturn in the building industry continues, the Polish brickies who came over to make a some extra zlotys will be taking their trowels overseas. This will be a shame, partly because it will signal a period of recession but also because the will take their pickled cucumbers and rye breads with them when they go.
So if you want a stable, prosperous economy - and free and easy access to borscht - let's make sure the doors remain open.