Gypsies face immigration crisis
Gypsies facing persecution in the Czech republic, Slovakia and Albania are facing a
crisis. It isn't however, the crisis reported by the British media. In the middle of
October almost all the press and TV channels reported that Dover was being
"swamped" by Eastern European gypsies seeking asylum in Britain. In news stories
that might be more at home in a far right pamphlet, they claimed that a television
programme in the Czech republic had encouraged an influx of gypsies by showing the life of
luxury they could live on in the British benefits system.
The reality of the situation shows a completely different picture. Over the last two
years around 400 eastern European gypsies have sought asylum in Britain. Many families
have been broken up and thrown into detention centres or deported. Many more are forced to
try and live on hand outs of food parcels from charity donations. Those lucky enough to
get benefits don't even get the poverty income that unemployed British nationals do. Those
that the Home Office allows to work in Britain are often denied the necessary
documentation that proves to employers that they have that right. Far from being the first
choice of destination for those fleeing persecution, Britain is much nearer to being a
last resort.
Whilst in opposition the Labour Party pledged that it would review the notorious
Immigration and Asylum Act and that if it could be shown that it was more expensive than
putting asylum seekers on benefits then they would change the legislation. Numerous
reports have shown that the current chaotic system is twice as expensive to administer
than benefits, yet the Labour leadership have remained silent.
Whilst the National Assistance Act and the Children's Act give local authorities a
legal responsibility to provide the bare minimum of support to asylum seekers who are
destitute, the financial responsibility has been pushed onto ever decreasing social
services budgets. Rather than demanding that central government should provide adequate
support for asylum seekers, Kent County Council has simply demanded that something is done
to stop gypsies seeking asylum in Britain in the first place. They have asked the Slovak
government for assurances that it would issue a statement discouraging asylum seekers from
coming to Britain.
This racist response has clearly helped to fuel further bigotry against gypsies living
in the area. If rumours that the National Front are planning a demonstration in the area
prove true they will have been aided in this by both the press and the government.