Ahead of the upcoming Holyrood election, the Greenock Telegraph is getting out on the streets to learn about the issues that matter to local voters.
This week we heard voices on immigration, which has been raised as an important issue for many voters in Scotland according to polling.
Robert Barrett, 62, living in Port Glasgow says ‘there has to be a balance’ in regard to immigration.
“When it comes to social housing, local people are being sidestepped, in my opinion," he said.
"I'm all for helping people who need it but don't overlook the local, born and bred people.
“Scotland's always been known as a multicultural country, which I like. I'm not a racist, I'm not a homophobe. Everybody's entitled to live their life, but immigration is going to be a big factor in the upcoming elections.”
However, he said he is in favour of immigration if it fills gaps in the labour market.
“Economic migration, people coming over, if they've got a skill, there's a lot of jobs that the local population won't go near.
“I know a lot of people get used in the care sector, but that’s cheap labour and there's not enough money in the NHS.
“I'm a big fan of what the people do at the Port Glasgow health centre. They've all been good to me. I've needed them in the last couple of years, since I moved across from Dunoon but this place needs overhauling.”
According to YouGov polling, Scots report Immigration as the third most important issue facing the nation. Out of 1,217 adults asked one in three voters consider it to be their top issue.
Users could select up to three issues in the poll, with 55 per cent ranking the economy as a top issue and 45 per cent saying health.
John Laverty, 82, wants to see a reduction in the number of people seeking asylum and being granted refuge in Britain, due to what he believes is a double standard in the benefits system.
He said: “I can’t even get a reduction in my poll tax, even though I've injured my back. I broke my back last year when I was a male nurse, when I was working, and I badly injured it years ago as well.
“All these people coming into the town, they're getting reductions, get their poll tax from next to nothing. They're getting money to go Tesco to buy groceries. They're getting free school uniforms for kids. They're getting mobile phones. I can’t get a bloody thing, and I've worked here all my life.
“I’d like to see them cutting down on [people arriving by boat], for a start, not letting them in. They're paying millions, apparently, to France, to keep them out of Britain.
“They're not supposed to go through a country into another country. They're coming all the way through Italy, Spain and France and everything, coming to Britain. They're getting all the benefits in Britain that people here can’t get. I think they should be returned to where they came from.”
Kenneth McKinley from Greenock said immigration is not his top issue. He wants to see more jobs in Inverclyde first and foremost.
“I think it’s not too bad for the area," he said.
"[As long as it’s not] taking jobs from people within the area, people coming out of school and college, just taking away theirs. There's a lot of people willing to work when a lot of people in this area sometimes don't want to.
“I would say more jobs would be the top of my list, especially for younger people. IBM’s gone now, all these different places are all leaving. Amazon's left as well. You've not got an awful lot of employment around here any more.”
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Julianne Jones, 60, originally from Fife, says she believes immigration has had a negative impact on Scotland.
“Immigration is a concern," she said.
"It's destroying the country, and I'm all for helping people, but it's become very corrupt. There are people coming in who aren't from war-torn countries and taking advantage of our system, a system that is in a mess already.
“I don't like to be selfish, but I see our quality of life going downhill massively in the past, 10 years, especially, and high taxes on everything, and low wages.
“I’ve worked in the care sector. It's very hard work, you work long hours, and you don't get paid for what you're doing. I just think it's all a big mess.”
