SIR. "Let's not return to the dark old days" (letters, October 3) suggests James Kwesi-Norton is a feckless individual who has a total disregard for immigration laws, in particular listing benchmark points which are the basis of those foreigners whose vocabulary is limited to "slavery, racial discrimination, colonialism".

He claims that immigrants have already enriched our lives, overlooking the huge sum they cost us.

The Government's payment of £3,000 for illegal immigrants to return home has already cost us £6.1million.

The mud-coloured frocks and slab grey boiled beef he sneers at as old-style Britain reflects our national poverty tolerated, with pride, and smiles on our faces during times of hardship.

The claim that foreign troops helped the defeat of Hitler is arrant nonsense, as the gross total of Colonial/Empire troops was 43,000 - of which only 4,000 plus came from the Caribbean.

It is only because thousands of our native young men had sacrificed their lives saving Europe that June 22, 1948 witnessed the arrival, at Tilbury in Essex, of the MV Empire Windrush carrying just over 4,000 Caribbean immigrants.

Mr Kwesi-Norton's delight at the UK having lost control of its borders suggests a total disregard and contempt for compliance with the law and the social cohesion which is so vital in every country.

He made his utterly selfish and disgraceful views clear with his idiotic "conduit" observations: The world's poor abusing the safety, and security, of the British welfare state and National Health Service which, with a population now exceeding 50million, encounters numerous difficulties meeting all legitimate needs; given the 1.5million immigrant population, be they legal, amnesty beneficiaries, asylum seekers or simply economic migrants buttressed by "short term" health tourists.

Yes, we are indebted to the numerous, legitimat, immigrants who have conformed to the limited, humane requirement, but they are few in number.

The Colonial/British Empire imprint was necessary to establish religion, education, employment, government and countless other benefits in many countries which, otherwise, would have continued to remain uncivilised.

While their rightful, independence has been granted, 87 per cent of immigrants drifting around the world are "escaping" from their own countries and the continuing poverty, abuse and internal wars.

Look at Sudan and Zimbabwe for examples of an inability to govern.

Has your correspondent an answer to the problems of language? One can only sympathise with teachers, or the housing shortage, we do not have shanty towns in his welfareland.

Some 140,000 immigrants were given British citizenship last year. Hopefully, these are law-abiding and will enrich the ideals, customs and creeds of a United Kingdom where multitudinous views will be acceptable, impartial and non-racist.

Even Sir Trevor Phillips, head of the Commission for Equality and Human Rights, believes "shuttle" immigrants or "economy migrants" should contribute to NHS and school costs.

PAUL A PETERS, Battersea