I was wondering how long it would take for asylum seekers to become the sacrificial lambs in the run-up to the general election.
But even the Conservatives have so far resisted reprising their disastrous 2001 campaign, which focused on keeping the Pound sterling, sticking two fingers up at "Europe" and attempting to show asylum seekers why the UK was the most hostile nation on Earth.
Thanks to the incompetence of the world's bankers (or Gordon Brown, whoever you choose to blame for the global economic ills) asylum-bashing has, thankfully, been pushed off the mainstream Right's agenda.
For some reason, I hadn't reckoned on the multi-barrelled cynicism of Ukip.
The New Statesman has run an interesting piece about a Ukip leaflet put out in the South Ribble constituency. It bears an illustration of the white cliffs of Dover and, to underline what a friendly, polite nation we are, a sign with the words "Get lost. We're full".
It recalls the "Netherlands is full" campaign of Ukip's favourite continental politician, Geert Wilders, although the Freedom Party leader omitted the "Get lost" bit.
However, lest we think that Ukip is just a fringe party whose views can be dismissed, George Eaton had some words of warning in his New Statesman article: "Ukip should no longer be treated as an eccentric and even amusing party, but as the dangerous and sinister force that it is."
He is right: if many of the comments that follow the article are representative, we have reason to be worried.
OH GOOD, AT LONG LAST, a party which says it will deal with the immigration problem. A party which promises? to remove asylum seekers and stop more coming in.
I don’t believe them, that’s why the BRITISH NATIONAL PARTY is getting my vote. The BNP will remove illegals and block other immigrants from dumping themselves on us.
Britain is full, you prat! Even your scummy, illiterate Grauniad admits it!
In the circumstances, I think "get lost" is positively polite. "Go forth and multiply" elsewhere would be my wording.
You left-wing scum are all the same, wanting to hand our birthright to Romanian gypsies who beat their wives and children into begging and stealing money they can gamble with, Muslim nutters who want to kill us and put us all under mediaeval Sharia law, the same Africans who sold their Afro-Caribbean brothers into a slavery that Britain was the first to abolish (but you still want to apologize for!)
Worry about where we are going to live and grow food, you wanker, not the UKIP policy that might just save your worthless skin!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/mar/22/environment-population-conference-britain
...And the trolls come marching in, don't you xenophobes ever get tired?...
The comments by Trebor and Paul Wiffen are not shared by myself or Community Care but we have decided to post them only in the interests of free speech, something, ironically, the BNP is hell-bent on destroying.
Readers may be interested to know that Paul Wiffen is a prospective parliamentary candidate for Ukip, which claims to be an anti-racist political party, although his comments suggest otherwise.
If the tone of Wiffen's response represents Ukip policy - we have to assume it does - then I don't see how the party can possibly contribute to the grown-up debate on asylum that it purportedly craves.
See the Community Care story on Paul Wiffen at http://is.gd/b9GOi
Carl ....
If someone expresses a view which is at odds with your own, why must the other person be a “troll”, a “xenophobe”? Perhaps you feel that the other is of such low intelligence and character that they are incapable of holding any view whatsoever.
Could you attempt to post a more informative comment. By all means criticize, but why not use your posting to state your point of view rather than just to pass insult. Come on Carl, let’s hear something substantial from you . Are you capable?
Within a debate during and even after the EU election, I and many others became involved within a debate with Dr Appleton, or at least that was the name displayed and given.
You made an allegation towards Paul Wiffen based on the name given within the comment section here, and I assume included his email address.
I could have given any name and used an email address of almost anyone to post such remarks of which you would accuse the person whoes name is displayed.
But I suspect you already know this. I would be very surprised if you did not. I clicked on "About Me", and I hope any other readers after me do the same.
Hello from Ukraine !
As for me ? I believe the great English leader Sir Winston Churchill would turn in the grave if he could see what British Governments have done after his death to this once fine nation.
I think a nation, all nations must NEVER change the fabric of itself, it must never deny or hide its heritage, it must welcome to is shores foreign people for the purpose of tourist, and small migration, but NEVER to allow itself to be swamped, overcrowded by the foreign people, and certainly never allow large amounts of hate groups to fester within it, when such a country allows all of this it no longer is the proud and strong nation, it weak, it no longer of value to anyone but foreigners, and all its natural citizens will 1 day have deserted it for settlement in better nation that does not allow such, this is UK today, as seen by all world, I believe !
But, what it matter what I believe, I'm just Ukrainian, and we have our own problems, right ?
Sincerely,
Marina.
Ukraine.
Yes, Trebor, the BNP is a "party" populated by racist thugs [just look at the criminal records of many of their members], which is led by a holocaust denier [fact] and which has proved itself to be incompetent when it attains any sort of office.
Readers may be pleased to know that UKIP suspended Paul Wiffen late last night. Full story is at http://www.communitycare.co.uk/Articles/2010/04/02/114218/ukip-chief-sacked-over-racist-rant-on-community-care.htm
Hi guys I am a support of UKIP! Even though I live in the US. Now let me say this Paul must of been drinking or just had a lack of common sense.
Now he on facebook bitching about him getting a hearing from his own party and trying to get support. Now I am all for the party for straight talking but I pointed out he needs to choice his words and not getting into rage. I for one how he get disciplined because UKIP is not a racist party.
TREBOR also I like to say BNP is a racist party too the core not UKIP. I like to deal with illegal immigrants but we need to stop European people moving in! I don't mind there legal longs they followed the requirements to be in the UK! like me living in the USA.
Why would readers be pleased to know that a party candidate - NOT a chief as the linked article suggests - was suspended? His language was intemperate, in fact quite insulting in places, but I consider his basic views to be valid and true. And I agree with him - Britain is FULL and our cities are desperately overcrowded, our resources stretched to the limit. Surely even the most dyed-in-the-wool socialists can see that the systems can't cope with this many people coming in? How many social workers resign each year due to burnout and job-related stress?
The smugness of the reporting on both this site and the Guardian - 'ooh look, we GOT one, and we got him suspended!' is deeply unimpressive if you're trying to persuade people that socialism is a gathering of compassionate, adult, calmly objective minds.
The blog is still open for comments but thank you to all who have contributed.
However, I had better clarify a couple of points.
Phoenix One: We did check out who Paul Wiffen was before committing ourselves to linking him with Ukip. He has subsequently been suspended by the party, and has started a Facebook campaign in his support. He has had ample opportunity to deny that he is the same person. He hasn't.
Ngaire Lowndes: Wiffen is (or was when he made the remarks) Ukip's London chair. That makes him a chief.
Additionally, I would be interested to hear from social workers whether asylum seekers are the root of their stress and burn-out.
Neither Community Care nor The Guardian got Wiffen suspended. Ukip suspended him because he chose to make inflammatory remarks.
Nigel Reigate ....
The other “parties” are populated by many of their members who have criminal records and MPs who have been fiddling their expenses (fact).
I care not whether another person is a holocaust denier - I have absolutely no doubt that the holocaust did happen.
The BNP will bring our soldiers home from foreign countries - guaranteed. The BNP will actively remove illegal immigrants and asylum seekers, and put a halt to the assorted migrants who dump themselves and their offspring in Britain for personal gain.
That’s why, given the opportunity, I will vote BNP.
Trebor:
I have no truck with any politician who uses their position for personal gain, whether they break the law or not. The point about the racist BNP is that so many of their members are guilty of hate crimes and violence:
www.hopenothate.org.uk/the-real-bnp/BNP-a-party-of-convictions.php
[You'll probably call this propaganda, but it's all true]
Recent events underline this as well as the party's incompetence:
www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/apr/04/bnp-mark-collett-nick-griffin
Do you really want people who come to the UK to escape violence and oppression to be sent to their deaths? Do you want this country to be only occupied by white people?
You may not care that Griffin is an apologist for Nazi atrocities, but what kind of person would actively support an organisation that gives power and office to him?
"I don’t believe them, that’s why the BRITISH NATIONAL PARTY is getting my vote."
How amusing. They have a consistent record on their policies whereas your party does not, it caters to right-wing extremists who want to shoot people at random and all kinds of other disgusting things.
While I am not happy with the fact that UKIP is aligned in a coalition with those such as the slovak national party in the European union, they will still get my vote because they are in no way extremists, rather, they are a reasonable party that represents the wishes of UK business and people alike.
Obviously you're the biggest prick in the world. Your anti-racism rants are bullshit. Just paint yourself black, you have disgraced the White supreme race.
Nigel Reigate ....
Do I really want people who come to the UK to escape violence and oppression to be sent to their deaths:
Deluded people such as yourself continually inform that all asylum seekers / refugees are fleeing murder, torture, rape, violence, oppression et al. Very few of those who come to the UK claiming asylum are genuinely fleeing from oppressors. Therefore, I take the opposite view from those of your opinion - all asylum seekers / refugees who arrive in the UK are bogus ....
.... to carry on risking your life to get to the UK after having reached a safe country negates any asylum claim. It proves that the over-riding aim is not safety, since that has already been achieved, but to get to this country. Therefore all those who have done this should be deported without appeal as bogus claims. It’s theft by deception. We must end the link between economic gain and asylum.
Do I really want people to be sent to their deaths:
No. I want bogus asylum seekers and refugees to be sent back to their countries of origin.
What kind of person would support Griffen:
Those who want our soldiers to be brought back home to Britain, not in body-bags, but as healthy, young men and women. Those who wish to witness the end of the killings and maiming of people in the foreign countries where our soldiers have been sent by our present government - not by the BNP.
That’s why, given the opportunity, I will vote BNP.
If I had any doubts about voting for UKip. they have now gone. You have made up my mind for me -VIVA UKIP!
Trebor:
Do you want your wife/daughter/girlfriend/sister to be protected from sexual discrimination and harassment in the workplace? Do you want them to be listened to? Do you want to make sure they are protected if they are the victim of rape or sexual assault? Do you want to be protected in the same way?
I bet you do. But the BNP don't think you should be. That's the party you're voting for.
They are openly racist, but do not make the mistake of thinking that their prejudices and ignorant attitudes begin and end with skin colour, ethnicity and/or country of birth.
Trebor. Please quote evidence for your claim that "very few of those who come to the UK claiming asylum are genuinely fleeing from oppressors".
Also, I too want UK troops to be brought home alive and well from from fighting illegal wars and occupations and to stop the wholesale killing and torture of Iraqis and Afghan people. This doesn't make me the kind of person that supports a party whose leaders admire Nazi-ism. You seem to think that opposing these wars is a major policy of your beloved BNP rather than the racist lies they propagate. Deluded? Not me!
Some of the racist filth spouted here makes me so angry with the BNP and UKIP. There are more similarities between them, then differences. UKIP is the smart face of capitalism and racism. Scratch a UKIP member and you will find someone who screams hatred at people of different colour, ethnicity and sexuality. The British used to be known for their tolerance. Now it is for their lack of compassion, ignorance and hatred. Do as you would be done by.
Nigel Reigate,
There are between 283,500 and 450,000 failed asylum seekers in the UK - failed asylum seekers who refuse to prepare themselves to leave Britain.
There are 1,100 failed asylum families (4,500 failed asylum seekers including dependents) in Glasgow - failed asylum seekers who refuse to prepare themselves to leave Britain.
All those above who came to the UK claiming asylum and were not genuinely fleeing from oppressors.
Boris Johnson reckons there are some 700,000 illegals in the country. How many of these illegals entered Britain under the claim of asylum - claiming they were fleeing oppressors?
Also the hundreds of thousands? of immigrants who have entered Britain via France and demanded “asylum” are bogus - in France, they have already reached safety from their bogus oppressors.
As previously stated: .... to carry on risking your life to get to the UK after having reached a safe country negates any asylum claim. It proves that the over-riding aim is not safety, since that has already been achieved, but to get to this country. Therefore all those who have done this should be deported without appeal as bogus claims. ie, "very few of those who come to the UK claiming asylum are genuinely fleeing from oppressors".
Nigel: Please quote evidence that MANY of those who come to the UK claiming asylum are genuinely fleeing from oppressors.
Deluded? Yes you!
Rantbles:
Please quote evidence that the BNP don't think that a “wife/daughter/girlfriend/sister(is) to be protected from sexual discrimination and harassment in the workplace”.
Please quote evidence that the BNP don't think that a “wife/daughter/girlfriend/sister (is) to be protected if they are the victim of rape or sexual assault?
jenny eckersley,
Why do you insult the British with “lack of compassion, ignorance and hatred”?
Here’s what asylum seekers get from Britain .... Free furnished, repair free accommodation, free heating and lighting, free NHS treatment, free dentistry, free specs., free school and college education, free translation service, free legal aid to keep them here when their cases comes up again and again for review, free money (benefits), free mobile phones and free calls. And, don’t forget the free offer of £3,000/£3,500 now on offer to asylum seekers prepared to go home. Everything they get is FREE, FREE, FREE - and they haven’t paid a penny into the system. Asylum seekers cannot fail to see the poverty and deprivation within our (yours?) own people, yet they continue to take from us and have the audacity to complain that it is not enough. It’s not free to our own people - we have to pay for ourselves - and the asylum seekers.
Criticism of asylum and immigration has zero to do with racism (racist filth) - it’s to do with the economy.
U.K.I.P Is Not about Race or religion, colour or creed. The question is? Has the EU constitutional rule of England been elected by the English people or anyone who lives in England who has a right to vote whether they be black, white christian or muslim or from any other religious/secular background in accordance with the English democratic law/way of doing things?
To be honest as honest can be folks, I do not mind if Shia law rules England or even if Mr Osma Bin Laden rules England. But as long as the English people (from whatever creed or colour background) get a chance to vote on how England is governed (as we should be able to have freedom of choice).That is fair!
And to be denied it, like we have been by the present Labour goverment, that is very un-democratic.
Also U.K.I.P is totaly against any form of racist comments (hence the suspension of Paul Wiffen); plus it a very un-English way of doing things.
I love what U.K.I.P are trying to do, which is to be fair all round and true to English fabric of itself as Marina Demchuck from the Ukraine quite nicely put it previously. (which is not BNP Linked in anyway shape or form) plus U.K.I.P work hard to bring awarness of all the underhand tatics of the EU Brussels self-imposed Rule.
Asylum and also EU migration working laws are just one of many policies that u.k.i.p try to adresss and sort out (that is if other parties stop stealing their ideas) that goes accross the board.
Hello....UKIP are not a racist party; they do not tolerate racism. I think a five-year freeze on immigration (well, a limited number per year with condition attached) is a good idea! and it gives england a chance to re-look, re-evaluate, and re-sort the problem out.
I do think that it is fair all round..Let The people Decide I Say