We’re dense

Les Reid again hits the nail on the head, this time regarding the UK’S population increase of 6 million (11 per cent) since 2001, versus Germany’s broadly stable level (Letters, 24 February).

The European Union led by Germany is adamant that freedom of movement (of people, not merely of labour as originally proclaimed) is a “fundamental freedom”.

Hence David Cameron’s failure to obtain any relaxation, though other EU members are now beginning to make similar points, so is a “fudge” coming?

Cameron’s mistakes in all areas were to beg for exceptions purely for the UK’S benefit (rather than arguing robustly for sane Eu-wide reforms fit for purpose for the 21st century, per his 2013 Bloomberg speech ) while making no case for population density to be a sensible limiting criterion in implementing that general migration policy.

The UK’S density is around 265 per sq km; Germany’s is 235 and France’s only 120. England’s itself, where most immigrants want to live, is 420, higher than any major EU country. Luxembourg’s is 220 with a population of under 600,000.

If the 3 million immigrants into the UK from the rest of the EU had tried to settle in Luxembourg, or 10 per cent or even 2 per cent of them, would Jean-claude Juncker have welcomed them all, with no upper limit proportional to its population and/or density? JOHN BIRKETT Horseleys Park, St Andrews, Fife