Current Affairs Asylum Seekers

[Eggs]

Such an emotive subject and such a mess if you live in the UK.

Despite making an absolute ‘Horlicks’ of the system you can see the Conservatives wanting to make this THE main issue of the next election. They know it matters to large swathes of the electorate who simply want numbers cut and they know Labour haven’t established a policy that resonates.

Already I can see ‘Labour want open borders’ being one of the slogans of the election.

For me, I often wonder why there aren’t ‘clearing centres’ across southern Europe where asylum seekers are evaluated against agreed set of criteria and evenly distributed across the continent. That would be the ‘safe route’ and any other access would be considered illegal.

 

[toffee82]

Such a divisive group.

Personally, I believe that they want to abuse our system and leech off the taxpayer whilst loafing about and doing as little as possible.

But enough about the Tory party.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Such an emotive subject and such a mess if you live in the UK.

Despite making an absolute ‘Horlicks’ of the system you can see the Conservatives wanting to make this THE main issue of the next election. They know it matters to large swathes of the electorate who simply want numbers cut and they know Labour haven’t established a policy that resonates.

Already I can see ‘Labour want open borders’ being one of the slogans of the election.

For me, I often wonder why there aren’t ‘clearing centres’ across southern Europe where asylum seekers are evaluated against agreed set of criteria and evenly distributed across the continent. That would be the ‘safe route’ and any other access would be considered illegal.

With respect, that's an utterly dreadful idea as it strips any agency from the individuals concerned. The main reason people want to come here is that they have family here. The second reason is that they know the language. So what possible good would it do to people for whom either or both of those criteria apply to send them to Finland instead?

It also ignores the fact that being able to tap into the local expertise of a common diaspora is the single biggest factor in a new arrival getting up to speed as quickly as possible, which given that we surely want people to integrate and start contributing to society would be a given?

 

[Eggs]

With respect, that's an utterly dreadful idea as it strips any agency from the individuals concerned. The main reason people want to come here is that they have family here. The second reason is that they know the language. So what possible good would it do to people for whom either or both of those criteria apply to send them to Finland instead?

It also ignores the fact that being able to tap into the local expertise of a common diaspora is the single biggest factor in a new arrival getting up to speed as quickly as possible, which given that we surely want people to integrate and start contributing to society would be a given?

….I get the family links and that could be part of the distribution criteria. Saying that, mine might be a lousy suggestion.

if there was an easy answer to this, it would’ve been done.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

….I get the family links and that could be part of the distribution criteria. Saying that, mine might be a lousy suggestion.

if there was an easy answer to this, it would’ve been done.

There is a lot of evidence as to the best approach to this, but the problem is that politicians aren't willing to adhere to the evidence as they've backed themselves into a corner whereby asylum seekers are a problem and a negative thing.

 

[tsubaki]

Such an emotive subject and such a mess if you live in the UK.

Despite making an absolute ‘Horlicks’ of the system you can see the Conservatives wanting to make this THE main issue of the next election. They know it matters to large swathes of the electorate who simply want numbers cut and they know Labour haven’t established a policy that resonates.

Already I can see ‘Labour want open borders’ being one of the slogans of the election.

For me, I often wonder why there aren’t ‘clearing centres’ across southern Europe where asylum seekers are evaluated against agreed set of criteria and evenly distributed across the continent. That would be the ‘safe route’ and any other access would be considered illegal.

I agree that is what they probably want to do, but if anything that just shows why the party - and by extension the country - is so completely screwed.

If you take more than a minute to think about that plan, it should become obvious that to make that the next election issue it is an absolute requirement that the problem must not be solved by then. This mean months and potentially years of "invasion" (to use their rhetoric) and no doubt hyped incidents like asylum seeker crimes, riots against asylum seekers and so on; all of it taking place on their watch. You could use disgusting, morally bankrupt tactics like that when you are in opposition but to do it when you are in charge?

All Keith has to do (and admittedly this is a big ask because his advisors are even worse than the Tory ones are) is just say "but you are the government, you are responsible, you have a big majority" every time one of the wretches that occupy ministerial office open their mouths on this.

 

[Number_25]

We should teach about the Kristallnacht pogrom in school.

 

[Amw79]

It’s a complex and emotive subject.

The left (of which, I consider myself part), have lost the space in which to argue here, by labelling anyone with concerns about refugee volumes and implications as racist. There’s a complicated conversation to have in this space, and shutting it down doesn’t help.

That said, it’s not a surprise that when the UK willingly took in 200,000 Ukrainian people in the last year, there wasn’t really any complaints from the right. If that had been 200,000 Iranians, there’d have likely been massive outrage and pushback. Is that a racist issue? Is it concern about cultural differences? Is it a deep seated fear of Islam as a hangover from 9/11?

There’s obviously some asylum seekers who are swinging the lead and should be removed to their country of origin, but many more who are genuinely vulnerable people who we should look to offer sanctuary to. Having an effective system which does this humanely and quickly is obviously the key, but the government of the day would rather demonise and sow division to appeal to voters baser instincts.

Once people are in the UK, I’m of a mind to grant them refugee status and get them into the system, working, contributing, paying tax etc rather than leaving people in limbo for years on support, which forces people into criminal activity / working cash in hand / leaves vulnerable people open to coercion and abuse.

But it is massively complex, and is an issue which will dominate the next election. Labour need to have a plan which alleviates concerns and tackles the problem, while also being humane and pragmatic. Easier said than done.

 

[neil999]

How rishi'serious politician' gets to say constantly that labour's policy is complete open borders when it never has and never will be their policy is outrageous

 

[PhilEFC]

The Tories were voted in to sort this immigration issue out by people sucked in by the narrative that the Tories set out.

They haven’t done anything but sat on their arses and creamed billions of our money off for their mates, and now it’s apparent they are going to get their arses handed to them at the next GE, this is the rhetoric they turn to attract those gullible enough to be taken in by it.

 

[ClausThomsen]

The Tory propositions to ban anyone from ever claiming asylum who enters the country illegally just reinforces and bolsters the illegal economy of modern slavery and black markets while giving those caught in it absolutely no legitimate way out or means of contributing to the nation.

It's a simplistic policy for generating election slogans rather than an attempt at resolving a complex issue.

 

[Number_25]

The left (of which, I consider myself part), have lost the space in which to argue here, by labelling anyone with concerns about refugee volumes and implications as racist. There’s a complicated conversation to have in this space, and shutting it down doesn’t help.

Screaming 'Go Home' to brown people is racist.

 

[Charro]

Screaming 'Go Home' to brown people is racist.

Yes, but having concerns about the levels of immigration isn’t

 

[Drico]

That said, it’s not a surprise that when the UK willingly took in 200,000 Ukrainian people in the last year, there wasn’t really any complaints from the right. If that had been 200,000 Iranians, there’d have likely been massive outrage and pushback. Is that a racist issue? Is it concern about cultural differences? Is it a deep seated fear of Islam as a hangover from 9/11?

Up to last August, the UK had taken in 115,000 Ukrainians. The reason there wasn't an outcry is because that is a paltry number. And the Tories went out of their way to make sure Ukrainians were not welcome in the UK - to the extent that it was admitted that some could even end up on planes to Rwanda.

That 115,000 has to be compared with 971,000 who went to Germany and 1.27 million who went to Poland. A person might say, but Poland is next door. True, but Ireland took in over 75,000 Ukrainians in 2022. The UK is approximately 13 times bigger than Ireland. Yet, look at the difference.

 

[Daveysgingerlovechild]

Think @Eggs is right about this being something the Tories want to go big on for the election. They need a new 'enemy' now the EU stuff can't be mobilised as well as post referendum. So its culture wars and this sort of stuff.

It is a problem. A situation where folk ate displaced from their homes and take incredible risks to reach 'safety' is inherently problematic. I rather feel the wrong questions get asked. Wilfully by the likes of Braverman et al.