Migrating back and forth
This week we look at two articles from the same newspaper; four days, and one tragedy, apart.
In the first, the UK's Guardian reported a statement made by Prime Minister Tony Blair that Britain's immigration policy was to be reviewed. He was answering a question in the House of Commons put to him by the leader of the opposition, Michael Howard, who wanted to know why the UK was the only country (apart from Ireland) not to have put restrictions on migrant workers from the 10 countries due to join the EU in May. Most other member states have delayed opening their labor markets until up to 2011.
Blair's response was seen as a toughening of the government's position; illegal immigration is a constant source of ammunition for the UK's middle-class tabloids, such as the Daily Mail, which report most things about Europe in a slanted, negative, belittling manner designed to scare their readers into thinking an invasion is, or soon will be, underway - never simply to inform. The Guardian article pointed out that the government cannot be seen to be 'soft' on immigration, but at the same time the UK's population is aging, and there's no doubt that migrant workers are needed.
On the same day, a tragedy occurred that threw the whole issue into stark relief. At low tide in a bay on the east coast of northern England, some illegal Chinese immigrants were collecting a local delicacy, shellfish called cockles. Although the area is well-known by residents for being treacherous, the uninformed immigrants were caught in freezing water as the tide came in suddenly, and 19 drowned. The following day, predictably, the UK press was full of 'something must be done' editorials, demanding that the government address fully the issue of illegal immigration.
Three days later, the Guardian carried an in-depth interview with the home secretary, David Blunkett, entitled "UK opens door to migrants". In this article, Blunkett strongly rejected calls to restrict workers from the new EU states coming to the UK. The tragedy of the previous week had shown the terrible conditions in which illegal immigrants had to work; it would be far safer, he said, to know who these people were and to have them employed legally rather than clandestinely. He went on to make the point that whatever restrictions countries such as Germany put in place, it is going to be virtually impossible to stop migrant workers from other EU states from crossing the border and working illegally while pretending to be visitors. When questioned about the apparent toughening of the government's position the previous week, Blunkett said that this had been clarified to mean that any clampdown would be related to social benefit fraud, not to restricting the right to work.
So, for any Poles thinking of making a new life in the UK after May 1, as the British government says, the door is open. And about time, too.
In the first, the UK's Guardian reported a statement made by Prime Minister Tony Blair that Britain's immigration policy was to be reviewed. He was answering a question in the House of Commons put to him by the leader of the opposition, Michael Howard, who wanted to know why the UK was the only country (apart from Ireland) not to have put restrictions on migrant workers from the 10 countries due to join the EU in May. Most other member states have delayed opening their labor markets until up to 2011.
Blair's response was seen as a toughening of the government's position; illegal immigration is a constant source of ammunition for the UK's middle-class tabloids, such as the Daily Mail, which report most things about Europe in a slanted, negative, belittling manner designed to scare their readers into thinking an invasion is, or soon will be, underway - never simply to inform. The Guardian article pointed out that the government cannot be seen to be 'soft' on immigration, but at the same time the UK's population is aging, and there's no doubt that migrant workers are needed.
On the same day, a tragedy occurred that threw the whole issue into stark relief. At low tide in a bay on the east coast of northern England, some illegal Chinese immigrants were collecting a local delicacy, shellfish called cockles. Although the area is well-known by residents for being treacherous, the uninformed immigrants were caught in freezing water as the tide came in suddenly, and 19 drowned. The following day, predictably, the UK press was full of 'something must be done' editorials, demanding that the government address fully the issue of illegal immigration.
Three days later, the Guardian carried an in-depth interview with the home secretary, David Blunkett, entitled "UK opens door to migrants". In this article, Blunkett strongly rejected calls to restrict workers from the new EU states coming to the UK. The tragedy of the previous week had shown the terrible conditions in which illegal immigrants had to work; it would be far safer, he said, to know who these people were and to have them employed legally rather than clandestinely. He went on to make the point that whatever restrictions countries such as Germany put in place, it is going to be virtually impossible to stop migrant workers from other EU states from crossing the border and working illegally while pretending to be visitors. When questioned about the apparent toughening of the government's position the previous week, Blunkett said that this had been clarified to mean that any clampdown would be related to social benefit fraud, not to restricting the right to work.
So, for any Poles thinking of making a new life in the UK after May 1, as the British government says, the door is open. And about time, too.
