Keir starmer

I think groups of young men are very often intimidating, no matter who they are, but especially if they are foreigners with nothing to do. My 14 year old daughter was approached by groups of young Kosovans the moment they arrived in town back in the 90s. It had never happened before.

LizzieDrip
under a Labour government, asylum claims will be processed swiftly

Hurray. I’ll be watching to see that happen.

GSM
You use highly emotive language when referring to asylum seekers e.g. gangs; intimidating. Why isn’t a ‘gang’ of male tourists ‘intimidating’ to women?

Did I miss where GSM put that a gang of male tourists isn’t intimidating to women?
A gang of any males is intimidating, likewise a gang of females or a gang of TRA, but the topic of conversation was gangs of asylum seekers, and most of those who do “hang round” are male.

Fortunately Labour is going to swiftly sort that out.

If you aren't permitted to work or ( in some cases volunteer) I suppose you would " hang around" possibly? Go for a walk with your friends maybe?

Wouldn't it make sense to give people something to do so they don't have to 'hang around'?

Not allowing people to work and then moaning when they 'hang around' seems contradictory. I'm not suggesting chain gangs, but surely there could be work programmes for asylum seekers that would allow them to use their skills to contribute to British society while they wait for their claims to be processed? That would make it easier for those who are accepted to start working straight away, and would occupy them during the day.

Doodledog

Wouldn't it make sense to give people something to do so they don't have to 'hang around'?

Not allowing people to work and then moaning when they 'hang around' seems contradictory. I'm not suggesting chain gangs, but surely there could be work programmes for asylum seekers that would allow them to use their skills to contribute to British society while they wait for their claims to be processed? That would make it easier for those who are accepted to start working straight away, and would occupy them during the day.

Yes it would help.
You know how long days are when there is nothing to do and nowhere to go.

We need work programs to develop young people’s skills, and not just for asylum seekers.

LizzieDrip

^I would prefer that they were detained until their asylum applications were determined, by which time hopefully those with criminal backgrounds would have been weeded out and refused asylum^

You’re in luck then GSM because, under a Labour government, asylum claims will be processed swiftly - unlike the Tories who haven’t been processing claims, in order to make the asylum seeker issue appear worse than it is.

You use highly emotive language when referring to asylum seekers e.g. gangs; intimidating. Why isn’t a ‘gang’ of male tourists ‘intimidating’ to women?

Actually Lizzie, women do find gangs of men intimidating. I would be wary of a gang of young white British men wandering the streets.

I realise that GSM and I have very different view points and politics (which is something of an understatement) but the fact remains that I personally would generally steer clear of a gang of males whether they be tourists, immigrants, football fans or anything else.

I might make an exception for Chelsea Pensioners however!

Doodledog

Wouldn't it make sense to give people something to do so they don't have to 'hang around'?

Not allowing people to work and then moaning when they 'hang around' seems contradictory. I'm not suggesting chain gangs, but surely there could be work programmes for asylum seekers that would allow them to use their skills to contribute to British society while they wait for their claims to be processed? That would make it easier for those who are accepted to start working straight away, and would occupy them during the day.

Yes 👍

There is plenty of litter picking to be done and help in clearing up illegal waste dumps. Strong young men are necessary for such work.

I agree - but imagine the outcry from the human rights lobby.

Germanshepherdsmum

I agree - but imagine the outcry from the human rights lobby.

Why would there be an outcry? Locally such work is encouraged/supervised by the refugee charities.

I might make an exception for Chelsea Pensioners however!

Ooh, I wouldn't tangle with them, they're a formidable lot 😂

Give me a bunch of teenagers over Chelsea Pensioners any day

LizzieDrip

Give me a bunch of teenagers over Chelsea Pensioners any day

Yep! I’d find a bunch of teenagers far more intimidating than a bunch of Chelsea Pensioners.

Mollygo

LizzieDrip

Give me a bunch of teenagers over Chelsea Pensioners any day

Yep! I’d find a bunch of teenagers far more intimidating than a bunch of Chelsea Pensioners.

Sadly you're right. A bunch of teenagers viciously beat up a woman (52) who was asleep on the grass near a beauty spot. Our country is becoming a very dangerous place.

Wyllow3

Germanshepherdsmum

I agree - but imagine the outcry from the human rights lobby.

Why would there be an outcry? Locally such work is encouraged/supervised by the refugee charities.

I doubt there would be an outcry. I'm quite keen on the idea of human rights being observed () and I can't see how they'd be violated by allowing people to work. Quite the reverse, really.

Many asylum seekers will have skills that could be put to good use locally, or there will be roles within the asylum-seeking community, such as teaching English to those who can't do it already. Depending on where the centres are there might be work such as fruit picking that employers struggle to find people to do since Brexit, and they could do that sort of thing, too.

It would help them to earn some money to keep their self-respect, give them a sense of purpose and stop there being groups of people 'hanging about'.

I was referring to the type of work suggested - I see no reason why they shouldn’t do it (unpaid, they cost us enough already) but I’m not a lefty lawyer.

They can’t do work which requires a DBS check.

No, of course they can't. I'm not a lefty lawyer either, incidentally, but even I realise that. Not all jobs require a CRB check, though.

They wouldn't cost us money if they were able to work for a wage, as they could buy things for themselves. I don't see why asylum seekers should be limited to a particular type of work, but there is dignity in labour of all kinds, and clearly if people don't have language skills them opportunities might be limited until they gain them.

then, not them.

Any work they do should be unpaid. They are already given free accommodation with no bills to pay and either £49.18 a week if the accommodation doesn’t provide food, £8.86 if it does. And you are suggesting they are paid for whatever work they do! They should be made to work for what they receive, unpaid. Volunteers and people doing community service are not paid.

Volunteers are, well, volunteering. Those doing community service aren't paid as it is a punishment.

Asylum seekers are not criminals. They are human beings fleeing war and persecution.

Germanshepherdsmum

I was referring to the type of work suggested - I see no reason why they shouldn’t do it (unpaid, they cost us enough already) but I’m not a lefty lawyer.

They can’t do work which requires a DBS check.

You know people seeking asylum can't work. They bring with them a variety of skills. Strangely enough, they are pretty much like other people, some are educated to a high standard and professionals, some are more used to farm work and everything in between.

Its nothing to do with DBS. They are not permitted to work. End of.

Doodledog

Wouldn't it make sense to give people something to do so they don't have to 'hang around'?

Not allowing people to work and then moaning when they 'hang around' seems contradictory. I'm not suggesting chain gangs, but surely there could be work programmes for asylum seekers that would allow them to use their skills to contribute to British society while they wait for their claims to be processed? That would make it easier for those who are accepted to start working straight away, and would occupy them during the day.

A couple of asylum seekers 'hanging around' were interviewed a while back - I think they were father and adult-ish son, not sure.

They had an orange bin bag and were going around picking up rubbish. They hoped to be doing it the next day because, "it gave them something to do".

The 'father' said he'd do any sort of work, he didn't care what it was - just to have a reason to get up in the morning because that is what he was used to.

I'm sure they don't all feel like that, but for those that do, it seems a shame that there's nothing useful for them to do.

Doodledog

Wyllow3

Germanshepherdsmum

I agree - but imagine the outcry from the human rights lobby.

Why would there be an outcry? Locally such work is encouraged/supervised by the refugee charities.

I doubt there would be an outcry. I'm quite keen on the idea of human rights being observed () and I can't see how they'd be violated by allowing people to work. Quite the reverse, really.

Many asylum seekers will have skills that could be put to good use locally, or there will be roles within the asylum-seeking community, such as teaching English to those who can't do it already. Depending on where the centres are there might be work such as fruit picking that employers struggle to find people to do since Brexit, and they could do that sort of thing, too.

It would help them to earn some money to keep their self-respect, give them a sense of purpose and stop there being groups of people 'hanging about'.

At Wethersfield there's a gardening project. I have a friend who runs a market gardening business and community allotment, who would love some extra help at this time of year. He already has prison leavers. They don't get paid, but are able to take produce home. It wouldn't need a great brain to take that a step further and include asylum seekers cooking some of their own food. A few months ago, some local volunteers organised a community event for the asylum seekers, but the staff at the centre didn't even tell them about it. Of course locals are concerned, but the picture isn't all one-sided and about NIMBYism. Many are genuinely trying to help, but their efforts aren't encouraged by the authorities.

zakouma66

Germanshepherdsmum

I was referring to the type of work suggested - I see no reason why they shouldn’t do it (unpaid, they cost us enough already) but I’m not a lefty lawyer.

They can’t do work which requires a DBS check.

You know people seeking asylum can't work. They bring with them a variety of skills. Strangely enough, they are pretty much like other people, some are educated to a high standard and professionals, some are more used to farm work and everything in between.

Its nothing to do with DBS. They are not permitted to work. End of.

Don’t be so patronising. I am fully aware that they are not generally allowed to work at present but there are exceptions of which you seem unaware. We were discussing what they might usefully be permitted to do. Perhaps you should check the facts before wading in with an ill-informed and unpleasant post.

It wasn't patronising, ill-informed or unpleasant.