British National Party UK Immigration News Bulletin w/c May 28, 2007
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1. FRANCE TO PAY IMMIGRANTS TO RETURN HOME

We are delighted to see our policies becoming mainstream, if only in our neighbour across the Channel. Although we must wait to see whether Mr. Sarkozy means what he says, this is the best news Britain, indeed all European civilisation, has had in a long time.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,484716,00.html

France is home to over 5 million immigrants – and the new conservative-led government doesn't plan on making things any more comfortable for them. While the new regime in Paris is determined to curb illegal immigration, it is also looking to encourage legal migrants to reconsider their decision to stay in France – by paying them to go back home. New immigration minister, Brice Hortefeux, confirmed on Wednesday that the government is planning to offer incentives to more immigrants to return home voluntarily. ‘We must increase this measure to help voluntary return. I am very clearly committed to doing that,’ Hortefeux said in an interview with RFI radio. Under the scheme, Paris will provide each family with a nest egg of €6,000 ($8,000) for when they go back to their country of origin.

A similar scheme, which was introduced in 2005 and 2006, was taken up by around 3,000 families. Hortefeux, who heads up the new ‘super-ministry’ of immigration, integration, national identity and co-development, said he wants to pursue a ‘firm but humane’ immigration policy. The new ministry was a central pledge in Nicolas Sarkozy's election campaign, who had warned that France was exasperated by ‘uncontrolled immigration.’ He was accused by the left of playing on public fears of immigration during his campaign, in an attempt to appeal to the supporters of the far-right National Front. In the end, Sarkozy won comfortably with 53 percent, and Hortefeux says this shows that the French people have clearly decided on what immigration policy they want. He also pointed to an opinion poll in the Le Figaro newspaper, which found that three in four people in France approved of the ministry. Since he was appointed by the new president last Friday, Hortefeux has insisted that ‘co-development’ will be an important plank of French immigration policy. He argued that the system of voluntary return can be seen as a means for investment in developing countries. He said that the method of transferring funds via returning immigrants to their country of origin was a better policy than providing aid for development.

Hortefeux is also talking tough when it comes to dealing with illegal immigration, insisting that there are no plans for a mass legalization of the estimated 200,000 to 400,000 illegals in France. The new minister voiced concern that the majority of legal immigration into France was that of existing immigrants bringing in relatives, while only a small proportion were granted visas due to their professional skills. ‘To be integrated, you need language skills and a professional activity,’ he told RFI, and said he is considering introducing a language test to prospective immigrants. France is home to an estimated 1.5 million immigrants from mostly Muslim North Africa and 500,000 from sub-Saharan Africa, according to the 2004 census. Asked on RFI about how the notion ‘national identity,’ fits into the new ministry -- the term has been fiercely criticized by the French left -- Hortefeux said: ‘This should not be understood as something menacing, but on the contrary, it is initiative with the aim of bringing coherence.’

2. FRANCE SAYS NO TO ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT AMNESTY

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/worldnews.
html?in_article_id=456666&in_page_id=1811&ito=1490

France's minister of immigration and national identity, a new ministry created by President Nicolas Sarkozy, has ruled out legalizing undocumented immigrants en masse. The new ministry said today that government policy would be dictated by firmness and pragmatism. ‘We have to put aside massive legalization. It doesn't work and it penalizes, even immigrants,’ Brice Hortefeux said on Europe 1 radio. Policy, he said, would be guided by ‘firmness and humanism’ with ‘lots of pragmatism.’ He also said he planned to adhere to the policy of deporting illegal immigrants from France. The number of deportees was expected to reach some 25,000 this year, and Hortefeux said he would ensure that figure is reached. Hortefeux, a longtime confidant of Sarkozy, was among those named to the new government on Friday.

The conservative Sarkozy, elected president May 6, had reached out to the anti-immigration far right to capture votes, notably ruffling some feathers in his own camp with his promise to create a ministry of immigration and national identity. Hortefeux said he planned to meet shortly with officials from sectors like the building and hotel and restaurant industries, known to rely heavily on immigrants. Hortefeux also said he would not put into question a long-standing policy of ‘family grouping,’ by which immigrants in France can bring their families here. However, he indicated, as Sarkozy had, that modifications may be made in order to ensure that those who join other family members in France can be integrated. ‘It must be carried out in respect for the dignity of those who want to come and (in a way) that favors their integration,’ he said. Sarkozy had said he wants to ensure that those who join families in France can speak French and that family members receiving them can support the newcomers.

3. MIGRATION NOT THE ANSWER – BRITISH CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE

Finally, someone in the business community sees the insanity of allowing unlimited immigration, instead of training the indigenous workforce, as an economic strategy. It isn’t even profitable in the long run!

http://www.bcentral.co.uk/sbnews/18157905/Migration-not-the-answer,-says-BCC.mspx

The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), one of the UK's leading representatives of small businesses, has warned the government that migration is not a solution to Britain's skills shortage. The BCC has made its stance clear on the government's failure to provide UK businesses with adequate numbers of skilled school leavers. Now BCC director general David Frost has moved to urge the government that migration is not the long-term answer to tackle the ‘tragic’ skills shortage, after the levels of migration from Romania and Bulgaria were announced. Mr Frost suggested that it was no surprise to see large numbers of migrant workers coming over from eastern Europe with UK economy so buoyant. He revealed that many UK businesses recognised the work ethic migrant workers had in comparison to young British employees. ‘The government must understand that migration is not a long-term solution to the tragic skills shortages that many young British people have,’ he commented. ‘Over 500,000 18-24 year olds are presently out of work yet no-one seems to notice due to the number of jobs that have been filled by so many willing migrant workers.’ He added that this was ‘unsustainable’, suggesting there was a danger that too many school leavers would go ‘straight from school to a life on welfare’.

4. 2,000 ROMANIANS & BULGARIANS COME TO UK EACH MONTH

Statistics on immigration are notoriously unreliable, so it's likely that the real number is higher.

http://www.workpermit.com/news/2007-05-22/uk/romanian-bulgarian-migration-statistics-01.htm

Initial government statistics show that, in the first three months of this year, about 8,000 citizens of the two new EU accession States have come to the United Kingdom, applied for and been granted worker registration certificates and accession worker cards. 9,305 applications for worker registration certificates were submitted, of which 7,120 were approved. Just under 4,600 were from Romanians. In addition, 1,115 of the new European Union citizens applied for accession worker cards, of which 815 were approved. In addition to these longer term workers, 2,400 more have taken advantage of the agricultural worker scheme and come in for seasonal work. Ministers have set the limit for the number of work visas to be granted to unskilled workers from Romania and Bulgaria at 20,000 a year. Controversy in Numbers Other evidence demonstrates clearly that the total migration into the UK by nationals of these countries is much larger. Due to EU treaty rights regarding freedom of movement, these statistics do not include the full number of Bulgarians and Romanians who have entered the UK; they are only the numbers granted official documents to work in the UK. A sizeable number of newcomers are thought to be self-employed and not registered as workers.

The Home Office relies on household surveys, exclude anyone who lives in a hostel, works awkward hours or is not confident in English. Officially, the Home Office reports that the total number of A8 immigrants (joined the EU in May 2004) plus those from the new Member States from 01 January of this year is up to 638,000. This is an increase from the official estimates of about 570,000 from last fall (A8 countries only), but still well below the 800,000 to 1,000,000 that Migration Watch UK has been estimating over the past several months. Part of the discrepancy is explained by the fact that the Home Office does not track self-employed EU citizens who are in Britain. It is thought that a large number of people in this category work the construction and services industries. Using the official numbers, there has been a total increase (workers plus non-workers) of about 68,000 migrants entering the UK in approximately the last six to eight months from Eastern Europe. Based upon the much lower migration rates from the A8 countries recently, some analysts are estimating that the total influx of Romanians and Bulgarians is about 50,000. Different Methodologies Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show 60,000 citizens from the two Eastern European countries arrived in Britain in the three months to February, compared with 23,000 for the same period in 2005/06. They are estimating that approximately one in 10 Eastern Europeans, or 2,000 a month, arriving at Britain's ports and airports plan to stay for more than three months to work or study. In June last year Migration Watch estimated that up to 300,000 citizens from those countries could enter Britain in the first 20 months of their accession.

These estimates were based upon an assumption of no restrictions on work and entry for Romanians and Bulgarians similar to the A8 expansion in 2004. In particular, they used Poland as a model for economic and population similarities. Other sources have published that they believe up to 50,000 nationals from Romania and Bulgaria are arriving each month. By looking at the total number of visitors in the first quarter of 2006 (540,000) and comparing that to the total for the first quarter of 2007 (680,000), it is demonstrated that a 25% increase has occurred. These numbers are for the total number of people entering for any reason, permanent or temporary. They do not factor in how many people leave, and they come from the International Passenger Survey, which has historically suffered from poor accuracy. By assuming that nearly all of the increase in entrants are from Bulgaria and Romania, these analysts have arrived at the ‘up to’ 50,000 per month figure of gross inflow. In March 2007 some 230,000 visitors arrived from the member countries of Eastern Europe, 57,000 more than in the same month last year. Critics of the Government's immigration policies were quick to use the new figures in their favor. Robert Whelan, of the conservative-leaning Civitas think tank, said, ‘We just don't have an immigration policy.

Anyone who wants to come can come. ‘Everybody knew that expanding the European Union would lead to a flood of new migrants. ‘The Government kept denying the numbers would be significant, but they are significant. ‘This is not a sudden boom that will die away. This is permanent. There is no end in sight to high levels of immigration, and the Government has no will or means of tackling it.’ For comparison, the International Passenger Survey figures for all overseas visitors entering Britain show a rise of 2% in the three months to March of this year, a total of 8.5 million. The ONS figures showed slightly different. The number of people traveling to Britain from Eastern Europe, Malta and Cyprus continues to rise for the three months to February, up from 598,000 in 2006 to 690,000 for this year, an increase of about 16%, rather than 25%. 32.3 million people visited the UK in the 12 months up to February, a 7% increase over the previous year. The number of UK residents going abroad rose by 2.5% to 66.8 million. Disagreement in the Government The Shadow Immigration Minister, Damian Green, said that ‘These figures demonstrate we were right to call on the Government to use the powers available to them to place restrictions on the numbers coming here from these two countries. ‘Immigration can be of real benefit to the country but only if it is properly controlled including taking into account its impact not just on the economy but on the wider public service infrastructure.’

Greg Hands, MP from Hammersmith and Fulham, called for the limits to be scrapped. His position is that the regulations, which affect a relatively small number of people, are easy to bypass. This results, he maintains, in unfair discrimination, treating the migrants as ‘second class citizens’ and encouraging people to work illegally. ‘I strongly favor there being equal access to all citizens of European Union countries to the UK labor market. ‘I am not approaching this debate with a general belief that the UK should loosen its immigration controls - but I strongly believe the restrictions on Bulgarians and Romanians are wrong, counter-productive, expensive and chaotically administered.’

5. 92,000 EAST EUROPEANS MILK OUR BENEFITS

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/7741

Almost 92,000 Eastern Europeans who came to Britain looking for work are claiming tens of millions of pounds in state handouts. The flood of migrants cashing in on benefits is costing the taxpayer at least £102million a year. And the bill will rise further as figures showed yesterday that 660 Eastern Europeans – more than 4,500 a week – are coming to the UK every day. The daily count includes 116 Romanians and Bulgarians who have flocked here since they joined the European Union in January. And in a devastating attack on Labour’s open-door policy, business leaders yesterday warned that the flood of migrants is leaving hundreds of thousands of school leavers out of work. David Frost, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, said: ‘The Government must understand that migration is not a long-term solution to the tragic skills shortages that many young people have. ‘More than half a million people aged 18 to 24 are presently out of work, yet no one seems to notice due to the number of jobs that have been filled by so many willing migrant workers. ‘This is unsustainable and we are in danger of creating a two-tier society, with many going straight from school to a life on welfare.’ Meanwhile, more than a million immigrants have been given British passports since Labour came to power in 1997.

Home Office figures reveal that 1,020,510 have been given citizenship. Of those, 245,270 were children and about 278,680 were through marriage. Migrationwatch UK chairman Sir Andrew Green said: ‘It is astonishing that we should now find that we have a million new citizens under Labour when they never indicated that they had any policy of this kind. In fact, the opposite.’ He said the impact on society was huge and it was ‘high time’ the consequences were openly addressed. Since eight former Eastern Bloc nations, including Poland and Lithuania, joined the EU in 2004, a total of 91,994 claims for benefits have been approved or are still being considered. That includes 57,657 receiving child benefit and 30,749 getting tax credits, which could be between £1,365 a year for a single worker and £5,300 a year for a couple with children. With handouts including jobseekers allowance, income support, pension credit and council housing, it means taxpayers are likely to pay at least £102million a year to support those let into Britain to work. And the true numbers are likely to be more than 100,000 as Home Office statistics do not include the self-employed. About 49,000 Eastern Euro­peans applied for employment under the Worker Registration Scheme in the first quarter of 2007, taking the total to 630,000 since 2004. But the figure is likely to be closer to 840,000 once the self-employed are included. And the numbers are likely to grow still further after Romania and Bulgaria joined the EU on January 1. Out of 9,305 applications for worker certificates from those countries, 7,120 were approved. The Romanian and Bul­garian figures showed that one of the main occupations given by immigrants for work permits was ‘circus artiste’.

For Rom­ania it was the top occupation, with 40 applicants, and for Bulgaria it came third with 15 applicants, after senior carer and chef. Immigration Minister Liam Byrne denied this could indicate applicants were being untruthful about their real reasons for entering Britain. Overall, at least 59,400 East­ern Europeans came to Britain in the first three months of this year – or 660 every day. Sir Andrew said: ‘These figures confirm that massive levels of immigration from Eastern Europe continue un­abated. ‘It is even more vital to reduce immigration from the rest of the world if our public services are to be able to cope.’ Westminster City Council’s deputy leader Colin Barrow warned that the levels could be the tip of the iceberg. Councils are already in revolt amid warnings that official figures on immigration are massively below numbers arriving. They fear that new methods for calculating the flow of migrants are flawed, leading to shortfalls in funding and rises in council tax. Four councils have written to the Treasury to express concerns over ‘perverse’ figures suggesting some towns and cities are seeing numerous migrants leave when, in fact, the numbers are increasing. Coun Barrow said: ‘These figures are of limited value as they do not take into account those people who may have come through Victoria coach station but have not registered to work. What they do show is that over a quarter of those registering to work have done so in London.

‘This would seem to contradict those recent official statistics which have reduced the capital’s migrant population by 60,000 by a stroke of their pen.’ Mr Byrne said: ‘It remains too soon to evaluate the full impact of the accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the EU.’ But he went on to say: ‘Early indications are that our policy of restricting access to the UK’s labour market is helping to ensure that only those who have something to offer the UK are allowed to work here.’ Danny Sriskandarajah, of Left-wing think-tank the In­sti­tute for Public Policy Research, said: ‘The number of new arrivals from central and Eastern Europe has flattened out and the number of Rom­anians and Bulgarians should not be cause for alarm.’

6. JOB SHORTAGE FUELS RACIAL TENSIONS – ROWNTREE TRUST

We could have told the Rowntree Trust, an impeccably-respectable research institution, this a long time ago. Once again, the BNP is vindicated!

http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30100-1267807,00.html

Competition for jobs and housing is increasing racial tension between local residents and new immigrants, according to new research. Four out of 10 said Britons treated them as an equals but nearly as many - three out of 10 - said they did not. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation also found a five-fold increase in the number of eastern European immigrants intending to stay in Britain. In April 2004, just 6% said they had planned to live in the UK permanently. That has now risen to 29%. ‘Women were more likely to have decided to stay than men, as were those with higher average earnings,’ the survey of 333 migrants said. The researchers found only a third of those interviewed knew how to register with a doctor. Some 44% were sharing a room with someone other than a partner, but some were living in overcrowded conditions by choice to save rent. JRF director Julia Unwin said: ‘The Government should value migrants as more than simply an economic resource. ‘It must continue to place importance on ensuring their integration into wider British society even when their stay is expected to be temporary.’

A spokesman for the Department for Communities and Local Government said: ‘We recognise that both new migrants and more settled communities can face challenges when migration patterns change. ‘The Commission on Integration and Cohesion is expected to report next month, and it will put forward practical proposals to encourage better integration.’ The interviewers spoke to people from Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Lithuania - which joined the European Union in May 2004 - Ukraine and Bulgaria. To read the full report go to: http://www.jrf.org.uk/bookshop/details.asp?pubID=887

7. IRAN EXPELS 70,000 AFGHANS

Iran is no friend of Britain, and hardly a model to imitate in most things. But it seems to have more sense than we do, in expelling people from the country who do not belong there!

http://www.news24.com/News24/World/News/0,,2-10-1462_2116696,00.html

More than 70,000 Afghans who were in Iran illegally have been returned in the past month, the United Nations said on Monday, as talks were under way between the neighbours over the controversial deportations. The number of unregistered Afghans being expelled had eased off over the past week, the UN said. The talks in Iran were to focus on how the deportations were carried out and also the treatment of deportees, it said. There have been reports of returnees being separated from their families in the drive to get them out. Tehran has said it wanted one million Afghans repatriated by next March. The 70 000 who have been sent back started returning from April 21. Afghanistan has asked its neighbour to halt the returns, saying it does not have the capacity to accommodate a large number of people at once. ‘We are concerned about the way the deportations are taking place,’ said Nader Farhad, a UN refugee agency information officer in Kabul. Returning families ‘It is important with such a large number of people, it should take place in a gradual and orderly manner.’

Anger in Afghanistan about the returns has already cost the refugees minister his job. Parliament also wants Foreign Minister Rangeen Dadfar Spanta sacked. The World Food Programme had provided a month's worth of food to more than 250 returning families in Farah province, one of the main collecting points for the returnees, the UN said. There are about 920 000 registered Afghan refugees in Iran, which took in hundreds of thousands of Afghans during the country's years of war.