Summary

The text “London's comings and goings” by The Economist describes a typical London situation: two non-British businessmen in a restaurant in London, served by a non-British waiter, all speaking English. The article argues that as foreigners are moving to London, Britons choose to move out, particularly to the countryside.

The article presents how London’s population grew before World War II and decreased after the war. In the 1990s the population of other big cities began to shrink, while London’s grew, mostly as a result of higher immigration rates.

London’s growing population has helped the city’s economic growth. Immigrants are generally considered hard-working by employers. Furthermore, most of the immigrants living in London come from high-income countries, unlike the majority of immigrants in France or Germany. But while white immigrants usually earn more than locals, those of a different skin colour are paid less. Also, immigrants work more in developing businesses and are more self-employed than Britons....