54 migrants rescued this morning in French waters are brought to UK

Another anecdote here .... I'm on holiday in very white, British middle-class Cotswolds. Yesterday we attended a church service, and so many of the prayers being posted on the Chapel board were about the safety of migrants the world over. No one wants these people to suffer, either when fleeing or in their own country.

I know this is anecdotal, but I wouldn't betting it's not a "one off".

My son-in-law's father comes from Sudan. He has a brother who lives in Canada and another brother who trained as a doctor in Australia, but returned to Sudan (although he could have applied for an Australian visa) to help his own people.

The third brother has a son, who is my son-law's first cousin. This young man is a dentist and is not active politically. A few weeks ago, he was beaten up and left for dead in the streets of Khartoum by. He was caught up in the civil war. Fortunately, he survived and was taken home, where his own father treated him.

He has no idea why he was a target - probably just in the wrong place at the wrong time - but the whole family is now anxious about leaving home. Friends and neighbours bring them essential supplies.

I know from my son-in-law that family members are encouraging them to emigrate and it must be very tempting when he can see his uncles and cousins living in relatively peaceful countries. However, the situation in Sudan is currently so chaotic that applying for a visa isn't realistic. The family is relatively affluent, so could afford to pay somebody to "help" them escape. I hope they don't choose that option, but if the situation in Sudan doesn't settle down, they might seriously consider it.

They have a lot more to offer than murder and mayhem.

There's as much chance of someone coming to create murder and mayhem on a jumbo jet from the USA or anywhere else for that matter than in a sinking boat from France. Honestly that's a rather ridiculous comment!

Some are the victims of murder threats and mayhem. Maybe if they were "processed" more efficiently, we could work out who they are.

spabbygirl

If they assessed claims before people got into small boats as Labour want there would be less in small boats. Unless of course you just want to harass anyone coming to this country without knowing what they have gone through then this is the way to do it.
People from other countries offer us lots and I'm happy to have them, especially knowing what some have gone through

Some also offer nothing but murder and mayhem, wouldn't you agree. Not all asylum seekers have saintly ideals. Not all are qualified to do good either.

choughdancer

Good posts Franbern, Skydancer, silverlining48 and spabbygirl. And as to preferring to support homeless people in the UK instead of asylum seekers, there is no reason not to do both.

Many people I know (including me) volunteer and raise money for both refugees and homeless people. It's not a case of either/or. Many of them also support animal welfare charities too!

I agree choughdancer it’s possible to support homeless people, asylum seekers a d animal welfare at the same time. Like you, I have friends who are active in all 3 areas.

The link is compassion and a desire to help those less fortunate than ourselves

Good posts Franbern, Skydancer, silverlining48 and spabbygirl. And as to preferring to support homeless people in the UK instead of asylum seekers, there is no reason not to do both.

Many people I know (including me) volunteer and raise money for both refugees and homeless people. It's not a case of either/or. Many of them also support animal welfare charities too!

If they assessed claims before people got into small boats as Labour want there would be less in small boats. Unless of course you just want to harass anyone coming to this country without knowing what they have gone through then this is the way to do it.
People from other countries offer us lots and I'm happy to have them, especially knowing what some have gone through

We aren’t expected to accommodate every
Person because most are elsewhere, but treat those who are here decently and with compassion. The silly thing wr are known as decent people and quite clearly we aren’t. The problem is that few have been assessed leavings many more In limbo. Not their failure but our government’s ineptitude.

Skydancer As a matter of interest my immediate family had to flee, they lost their home and everything in it. It’s not something most do unless there is no choice, and they had no choice.

I'm sure few of us, if any, have experienced fleeing from our homes and setting off in small boats to try to find safety. We cannot even begin to imagine what this is like but this is an intolerable situation which cannot continue ad infinitum. If it continues, this will change our country beyond recognition. We cannot save everyone who wants to find safety or a job. The answer must surely lie in helping those countries where the troubles are. However every time our government tries to do that, things end up in a worse mess. But people here are getting fed up and who knows where that may lead.

There is no rule about having to apply for sylum in the first safe country reached. The right is there to apply to anhy country that sined tghe 1951 Convention. Surely, if one is seeking a new home you go to where there are family or the country uses the language you speak.

GB takes such a tiny proportion of those needing new homes. Well under 0.1%

GB government (the current one), took away the ability to be able to make application for asylum, whilst still in France (and has coninuously refused French suggetions for having a another one). Asylum seekers must be on UK soil to be able to make application.

Just two percent of those applications were processed in the last twelve month, leaving the other 98% just waiting unable to work, unable toi contribute to their own wellbeing and to society. Being used by that same government as dehumanised beings weaponised to stir up hatred amongst the rest of the Uk population.

This country desperately needs more people to fill many of thejobs that are not being filled. Also with an aging population, also going to need these young people to work to pay the pensions, etc for the next generation.

Nobody leaves their homes and risks their own and their families lives bu becoming refuges and trying to survice in refugee camps and in those dingies to cross the seas without being quite desperate. Many of those have been made that desperate by the wars and conflicts in their native countries - many of them caused by the same UK govrnemnt mentioned above.

BUT.......never let facts get in the way of a story!!!!!!!!

Whitewavemark2

diamondlily

No I wouldn’t expect Labour to drop immigration controls, no country should do that and in fact none do.

But I am expecting labour to abide by the UN convention, give the HO all the support it needs to deal promptly and appropriately with the list, de-weaponise the asylum seeker issue, provide safe routes (thus dealing with the bulk of the people smugglers) and show some humanity.

And renegotiate The Dublin Agreement

Armed forces turning the boats back to where they came from? Escorting them the whole way back.

Coronation

Over 1800 people have died or are missing crossing the Mediterranean this year. The reasons are various from fleeing the war in Sudan to getting a better life.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-66478091

I wonder how many migrants having crossed the Mediterranean then get in a little boat to cross the Channel?

That really is desperation.

I’ve been asked that several times but then most people here have been, if only which town you were born in. We also get asked about which language we speak at home and whether we are indigenous or from the Torres Strait islands as a matter of course on every ‘official’ form.

I agree. Controlled migration, which we already have, is fine - we need people in certain jobs.

Promptly assessed asylum claims are fine - we have always taken refugees.

Uncontrolled migration, backlogs, and the chaos of last week, just causes conflict.🙂

diamondlily

No I wouldn’t expect Labour to drop immigration controls, no country should do that and in fact none do.

But I am expecting labour to abide by the UN convention, give the HO all the support it needs to deal promptly and appropriately with the list, de-weaponise the asylum seeker issue, provide safe routes (thus dealing with the bulk of the people smugglers) and show some humanity.

Whitewavemark2

I can understand how upset people are at the attitudes being shown here and why folk no longer want to participate.

Does anyone remember the debates on here at the time of Brexit, the same xenophobia, racism and intolerance were riff. That resulted in the loss of two MPs lives by the right wing, and hatred on an industrial scale. It never goes away, just pops up at every opportunity.

True in the 1930s U.K. - true today.

One of the MPs , a Tory Mp, was murdered by a radicalised Islamic terrorist Ali Harbi Ali. Fact.

Over 1800 people have died or are missing crossing the Mediterranean this year. The reasons are various from fleeing the war in Sudan to getting a better life.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-66478091

Whitewavemark2

Yes although that guardian article is old it is really only stating the obvious.

People expect a government to be in control of its borders.

This has been true for decades and in fact was true up until Brexit when everything went pear shaped.

One major issue is that we have a populist government that is using asylum seekers as a weapon, both to distract from other failings and in the hope it will somehow at the very least retain their core vote, come the election.

So all the time that you have this populist government in power, our borders are never going to be properly controlled.

We have another year of this mayhem and then this weaponising will cease.

Yeah, that was the latest poll I could find.

Undoubtedly the government use this "popular" view, as a distraction from other failings.

Although, to be fair, Labour aren't saying that they will drop controls.

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/may/24/keir-starmer-attacks-pm-on-immigration-as-labour-launches-its-own-plan

I can understand how upset people are at the attitudes being shown here and why folk no longer want to participate.

Does anyone remember the debates on here at the time of Brexit, the same xenophobia, racism and intolerance were riff. That resulted in the loss of two MPs lives by the right wing, and hatred on an industrial scale. It never goes away, just pops up at every opportunity.

True in the 1930s U.K. - true today.

Yes although that guardian article is old it is really only stating the obvious.

People expect a government to be in control of its borders.

This has been true for decades and in fact was true up until Brexit when everything went pear shaped.

One major issue is that we have a populist government that is using asylum seekers as a weapon, both to distract from other failings and in the hope it will somehow at the very least retain their core vote, come the election.

So all the time that you have this populist government in power, our borders are never going to be properly controlled.

We have another year of this mayhem and then this weaponising will cease.

I wish all these anti refugee, anti humans could live under the Taliban for a week and see if you don’t try to escape and get your family to safety.
This thread just shows the inhumanity that is still alive and kicking and not a step away from the discrimination of Hitler
I hope all you small minded folk are proud of your racist country because anyone with half a heart is ashamed
Thank God there are still some who care

I m joining those leaving this thread it’s heartbreaking to know there are such vile racists disguised as nice little old ladies

Fleurpepper

MayBee70

foxie48

What a vile thread this has become, talking about rescuing animals when people have died, discussing if British boats should rescue drowning people in French waters, Just vile. I'm out!

Me too. I need a break from this. I’m so ashamed to read some of this.

Just shameful, so glad I have been out all day and kept away.

I wonder if the Press will one day take an interest in GN and report some of the 'views' on here.

I doubt it. Compared to other online forums, the views expressed, by all sides, on here, are extremely moderate.🙄

Plus, as the majority of Brits apparently want tighter border controls, it wouldn't gain much traction.

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/nov/05/most-britons-think-country-has-lost-control-of-its-border-since-brexit-poll

Primrose53

VioletSky

hbr.org/2020/10/whats-wrong-with-asking-where-are-you-from#:~:text=Here%20is%20the%20problem%3A%20For,to%20(already)%20belong%20here.

That’s one person’s opinion and yours and mine are equally valid.

I notice you didn’t answer my question about whether you have ever been asked where you’re from or where you live. I cannot believe there is a person alive who has not been asked that whether on a plane, a bus, coffee shop, hairdressers, on holiday, when you move to a new area etc.

Maybe some people just give off negative vibes or seem so uninteresting that people don’t know how to approach them. Wherever we go my husband says “who was that talking to you?” And I say “never seen them before in my life.” 🤣🤣

Well, I'm one person who doesn't think she's ever been asked where she's from. I was born in the UK, look northern European and speak like a BBC newsreader.

My son-in-law was also born in the UK, is British, went to a British public school, his parents are British and one of his grandparents is white British born and bred. However, he isn't white and has been asked many times where he's from.