Why do Asylum Seekers cross the channel on small boats

Grandmabatty

"thousands I've seen with my own eyes."
Aye, right. And one border official's opinion means it all must be true.

Yes thousands over the last couple of years.

It’s probably one more BorderForce official than you know anyway. 😉

"The thousands I’ve seen disembarking"

What fuels this nonsense? Its beyond me , really.

Grandmabatty

"thousands I've seen with my own eyes."
Aye, right. And one border official's opinion means it all must be true.

But better than no border official’s input I would say.It’s his job and he sees a lot.

Primrose presume they are relieved and happy to be safe on dry land instead of dangerous seas. I would be smiling and expect you would too.
Over the last ten years I have met many asylum seekers from different countries and some are now very good friends of the family.

Cadeby

"The thousands I’ve seen disembarking"

What fuels this nonsense? Its beyond me , really.

Why nonsense? If you live near a port it’s quite feasible that you would see thousands over the course of a couple of years.

Cadeby

"The thousands I’ve seen disembarking"

What fuels this nonsense? Its beyond me , really.

So are you saying that thousands have not arrived on boats? It is absolutely not nonsense. Maybe you don’t have aTV.

Primrose53

Babs03 surely you’ve seen the news and newspaper photos of immigrants arriving on our shores. Completely the opposite of the “cowed, scared” people who avoid eye contact.

The thousands I’ve seen disembarking are all fit young men either giving the Victory or thumbs up sign and waving and cheering. They don’t look cowed or scared at all.

I said on here months ago that I know a Border Force official very well and what he has to say confirms what I see with my own eyes.

Do you volunteer for the RNLI or work for Border Force (or - heaven forbid - are you Nigel Farage? Don't you have anything better to do with your time than watch people disembarking from boats?

I don’t live far from Dover. People in inflatables don’t row onto the beach but are usually brought in by lifeboats or other large boats way before they get to the port, so unless someone lives with a window facing that part of the harbour ( unlikely) or stands around waiting every day, it just woukdnt be possible to see thousands of asylum seekers arrive. If I am in Dover I watch the sea and so far have not seen any boats at all.

Bit tetchy there growstuff if you live and walk near the sea in a port where asylum seekers are brought in regularly than you would see them.All you need to be is a dog walker.

Hooray! Another six boats of doctors and dentists have arrived.

silverlining48

I don’t live far from Dover. People in inflatables don’t row onto the beach but are usually brought in by lifeboats or other large boats way before they get to the port, so unless someone lives with a window facing that part of the harbour ( unlikely) or stands around waiting every day, it just woukdnt be possible to see thousands of asylum seekers arrive. If I am in Dover I watch the sea and so far have not seen any boats at all.

You may not have seen them but you know that thousands do arrive.
I haven’t seen a stabbing but it goes on all around us.If a poster lives where the AS’s are brought in regularly and has seen them, why all the disbelief.

growstuff

Primrose53

Babs03 surely you’ve seen the news and newspaper photos of immigrants arriving on our shores. Completely the opposite of the “cowed, scared” people who avoid eye contact.

The thousands I’ve seen disembarking are all fit young men either giving the Victory or thumbs up sign and waving and cheering. They don’t look cowed or scared at all.

I said on here months ago that I know a Border Force official very well and what he has to say confirms what I see with my own eyes.

Do you volunteer for the RNLI or work for Border Force (or - heaven forbid - are you Nigel Farage? Don't you have anything better to do with your time than watch people disembarking from boats?

Why the sneering post growstuff? I thought things were improving today and then along comes your post. There really is no need.

If you reread my posts I made it very clear that I had seen photos on TV and in newspapers. I did not say I stood and watched them so please stop putting words in my mouth.

So young men arrive cheering and in a bouyant mood. Many are from countries like Iran where they have fled persecution or execution, and just completed a hazardous journey to their destination where at last they believe they will be safe.
Why not cheer?
After all they haven’t yet met the many people in this country who will be openly hostile or in one recent case attempt to burn them alive in a hotel where the exits were blocked.
I imagine their cheering will sadly be short lived.
There is a much higher percentage of asylum seekers self harming and committing suicide than in the general population.
That doesn’t speak to me of a group of people ecstatic about stealing houses and jobs, and apparently GPs and dentists, from the British population.

They were safe from persecution and execution in France.I don’t think that excuse washes to be frank.
If they actively prefer to be in the UK that’s a different matter.They clearly do want to be here but may think it will be better than it really is.Or our benefits and treatment of Asylum seekers may be genuinely a good deal better than staying in France.

Chestnut

Hooray! Another six boats of doctors and dentists have arrived.

😂😂😂😂😂

BevSec

Please take the time to read values, voice and virtues new British Politics by professor Matthew Goodwin.

No, thank you. I'd rather read something by somebody not quite so extreme in his views.

Oreo

They were safe from persecution and execution in France.I don’t think that excuse washes to be frank.
If they actively prefer to be in the UK that’s a different matter.They clearly do want to be here but may think it will be better than it really is.Or our benefits and treatment of Asylum seekers may be genuinely a good deal better than staying in France.

Why do you think they should stay in France? Why not Italy or Spain or Greece or wherever they first landed on European soil? There is absolutely no reason in international law why asylum seekers should choose France over the UK.

Primrose53

growstuff

Primrose53

Babs03 surely you’ve seen the news and newspaper photos of immigrants arriving on our shores. Completely the opposite of the “cowed, scared” people who avoid eye contact.

The thousands I’ve seen disembarking are all fit young men either giving the Victory or thumbs up sign and waving and cheering. They don’t look cowed or scared at all.

I said on here months ago that I know a Border Force official very well and what he has to say confirms what I see with my own eyes.

Do you volunteer for the RNLI or work for Border Force (or - heaven forbid - are you Nigel Farage? Don't you have anything better to do with your time than watch people disembarking from boats?

Why the sneering post growstuff? I thought things were improving today and then along comes your post. There really is no need.

If you reread my posts I made it very clear that I had seen photos on TV and in newspapers. I did not say I stood and watched them so please stop putting words in my mouth.

Sneering? It was a simple question. I really am somewhat incredulous that anybody sits and watches their TV often enough to see video of thousands of people disembarking.

Whatever floats your boat, I suppose.

Oreo

silverlining48

I don’t live far from Dover. People in inflatables don’t row onto the beach but are usually brought in by lifeboats or other large boats way before they get to the port, so unless someone lives with a window facing that part of the harbour ( unlikely) or stands around waiting every day, it just woukdnt be possible to see thousands of asylum seekers arrive. If I am in Dover I watch the sea and so far have not seen any boats at all.

You may not have seen them but you know that thousands do arrive.
I haven’t seen a stabbing but it goes on all around us.If a poster lives where the AS’s are brought in regularly and has seen them, why all the disbelief.

Of course people know that thousands of people arrive - I prefer to get my information from official sources.

growstuff

Primrose53

growstuff

Primrose53

Babs03 surely you’ve seen the news and newspaper photos of immigrants arriving on our shores. Completely the opposite of the “cowed, scared” people who avoid eye contact.

The thousands I’ve seen disembarking are all fit young men either giving the Victory or thumbs up sign and waving and cheering. They don’t look cowed or scared at all.

I said on here months ago that I know a Border Force official very well and what he has to say confirms what I see with my own eyes.

Do you volunteer for the RNLI or work for Border Force (or - heaven forbid - are you Nigel Farage? Don't you have anything better to do with your time than watch people disembarking from boats?

Why the sneering post growstuff? I thought things were improving today and then along comes your post. There really is no need.

If you reread my posts I made it very clear that I had seen photos on TV and in newspapers. I did not say I stood and watched them so please stop putting words in my mouth.

Sneering? It was a simple question. I really am somewhat incredulous that anybody sits and watches their TV often enough to see video of thousands of people disembarking.

Whatever floats your boat, I suppose.

Don’t you realise you are still doing it? Why bringNF into your “simple question”?

Then you had to get in the dig(again)about how YOU think I spend my time. Every day, hundreds of illegal immigrants arrive and most days they are filmed for TV. It doesn’t take many weeks and very short clips to turn it into”thousands” does it?

The ones who come to the UK, come here because many already have family and friends here who can help and support them and/or they already speak English. In France, Italy or anywhere else they are at a disadvantage because they do not speak the langiage and have no family or community support.

The reason why asylum seekers come to the UK rather than other European countries are various. Many have a rudimentary knowledge of English. That is why Morrocan and Algerian immigrants prefer France, because they speak the language.
Or they already know someone who lives here and can vouch for them. If it was merely down to benefits they would all be making a beeline for Germany, Sweden, and Norway, where AS are known to be treated much better by the governments there.

The false narrative I read from Babs03 is exactly that. It’s her opinion, I think she said. From working with refugees back in the 90s.
It’s like the post further down which says
Aye, right. And one border official's opinion means it all must be true.

Well, I realise that there are people whose minds are made up with regard to AS and am sure they could say the same about me.
Am not attempting to prove I am right about this or that others are wrong, but I do think we need to keep an open mind and look at all possible information about this, not just one newspaper or anecdote from a friend of a friend.
That goes for me too obvs. And I do try to look at as many news outlets and publications as possible.
In any case is nearly dinner time and I think this thread is really just going round in circles, so will wish you all a good evening and agree to disagree with those I cannot see eye to eye with.

Mollygo

The false narrative I read from Babs03 is exactly that. It’s her opinion, I think she said. From working with refugees back in the 90s.
It’s like the post further down which says
^Aye, right. And one border official's opinion means it all must be true.^

Just to correct.
I worked as a volunteer with AS 5 years ago for 2 years. Another poster worked with them in the 90s.