Outlook Asylum campaigns New Labour's attack on asyIum seekers took a new tum aver the summer with a despicable attempt by Culture Secretary Tessa sower and home secretary David Blunkett to stop a lottery grant going to the National Coalition of Anti-Deportation campaigns. awarded £336,261 over expand its work. Nearty all new asylum seekers are being dispersed to the North East of England and Scotland, where existing resources are limited. NADC to open and staff a new office in the north-east - most probably in Middiesborough in addition to their exist 4180303 Birmingham, Manchester and London. critical The organisation proPowerful vides invaluable sup:
port to many individuBritain and threatened with deporAs Tony Openshaw, NCADC's north-west co-ordina*NCADC's website is has frequently the first port of call when asylum-seckers and deportees need advice. through our website... As a result of the clearly government, further investiour gations are now taking place into the workones of the campaign which are not currently completed. The issue was first brought to Ministers attention through the kind offices of the Daily Mail, who ran a story on August 10 under the rubric perpetuated "Is this the barmiest lot. tery handout of them all?*. This followed a press release from the Community "Plan Around of decisions on grant applications. Rather than and disdain it deserved, the Peru, Office was to ask the Community Fund to investioperating "within the law. The joint statement subsequently issues by Ms Jowell and Mr Blunkett read: "Funding organisations to campaign is clearly acceptable. However, organisations which enpare in politi cal activities are not eligible for lottery funding. she and Mr Blunkett had not intervened but had merely "raised questions". injusThen a Home Office press: "This organisation is a political organisation in our view." Probably the clearest statement of New Labour's postion came in an inter view by Tessa Jowell on Radio 4's World at One in which she said questions. First, is lottery money being used for politithere any evidence this people to break the law?"
NCADC was first awarded has therefore been vetted several times to check that in complies with the regulations which determine such And despite their best attempts, govemment lawvers have not for emote been able to find any examples on the campaign's web angue encouraged people to break the law.
Even officials at the Community Fund seemed somewhat taken aback by the heavy handed intervenpublic affairs at the Fund sail ministers had not explained the precise nature of their concerns or offered "As far as we know they (the coalition) have acted within the law, out, if cir cumstances have changed, then we need to know full details."
Ms Sones added: "Out of half to groups engaged in lobbying. We gave money to Society, and the health secWe do not fund groups that engage in political activity, but there is a grey line. A great number of groups we fund lobby for changes in the law - Esther Rantzen's ChildLine is one or tan, and toy now sust received a grant.
Ms Sones also said that tions had specifically highighted the needs of asylum sulted them on how to Blunkett and Jowell have won themselves few friends so transparent in their attempt to close down an organisation that is fighting for justice.
need to be on the alert in case the Community Fund a further threat to this vital organisation.