But imagine if Deep turned up in today’s Britain. Chances are, he wouldn’t have been allowed to set foot on our shores. The toughened immigration laws may seem like a good way to safeguard the economy, but they could be damaging it instead.

Around four per cent of the British population are immigrants. And immigrant workers currently generate more than £1bn for the UK economy. Strict regulations and five-year waiting lists threaten this contribution. An article in yesterday’s Guardian discusses the issues that prompt this desire to close our borders, namely globalisation and terrorism.

And this is an issue that could affect you. Only today, employment law experts at Dundas & Wilson warned that under tough new employment legislation being introduced on Friday, company directors who turn a blind eye to illegal immigrant workers in their organisations could face a two-year jail term. This crackdown has implications all the way up, with fines up to £10,000 for breaches of the Act.

Fortunately for Deep, there were no immigration rules in the sixties. Unfortunately for us, the time for self-made émigrés like him is well and truly past.

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