Does Richard Littlejohn have a point?

[pdq1]

For an illegal immigrant to enter the UK an Aghanistan has to travel through at least 8 countries (as the crow flies) before he gets to the UK. So should the castegory of asylum seeker be erased from the book when they could have applied for asylum in one of those countries.

[pdq1]

This is his article:

http://www.dailymail....d-better-without.html

[boxtops]

This is what's been said for years - to claim genuine asylum, you should claim it in the first place of safety you come to.

Most of the people who are waiting on the other side of the Channel to come in here at Dover could have claimed asylum in several other countries - but they're not asylum seekers, they are economic migrants, every time they are interviewed they say they want to get a job, get married, and settle down here.

[Duncer]

Strange that they are already in France yet choose not to claim asylum there?

[Gromit]

What has the number of countries their journey passes throught got to do with anything. Jews fleeing the Nazis probably travelled through 4 or 5 to get here. We should be proud that they prefer us out of anywhere else.

[Answerprancer]

I wouldn't take anything that richard littleprick says seriously - he's an extremely nasty little man (IMO)

[ABerrant]

"What has the number of countries their journey passes throught got to do with anything" - it depends on any of them being EU countries.

It is EU law that the first EU Member State entered is responsible for processing the asylum claim and allows the UK to transfer asylum seekers back to that point of entry within 12 months. However, implementation of the Dublin Convention and the Dublin Regulation has failed to adequately control Asylum Shopping since 1997.

http://en.wikipedia.o...iki/Dublin_Convention

[emmie]

why if these people have money to get from their native country, often thousands of pounds, don't they use that to make a better life for themselves where they were born. I reckon the main reason for coming to Britain has nothing to do with being fond of us, more that once here they can't be got rid off. With a more than generous benefit system they head here, i don't understand this system.

[emmie]

our inadequate border controls seems to have allowed this to escalate beyond a joke.

[Snafu03]

'We should be proud that they prefer us out of anywhere else'

A sentiment that is totally lost on me. It not us they prefer its our system.

[DrFilth]

if your second language was english it would be natural that you head for this country

[Duncer]

That's strange, our translation bill runs into millions.

[DrFilth]

it is very expensive to hire a translator

[Duncer]

I know, I often have to do it in work, but if their second language was English, as you claimed, then I wouldn't need to.

Spain however, has a negligible translation bill.

[DrFilth]

maybe they have some geordies on border control and they have trouble understanding the accent
.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QScBfHxt4Tk

[Duncer]

Can't get that clip to work DrFilth.

[emmie]

Df, many countries have English as their second language, as someone mentioned some people speak it like a native, and one might add somewhat better.

[emmie]

almost every council, housing office, CAB, has notices printed in many languages. The last time i was in CAB, one notice was printed in over 50 languages, why is that necessary. And interpreters have to be on hand, or called in when it is necessary to translate for those lining up to get advice on benefits, housing, schools, you name it.

[anotheoldgit]

Gromit

/// Jews fleeing the Nazis probably travelled through 4 or 5 to get here. We should be proud that they prefer us out of anywhere
else. ///

Where else would they go Gromit seeing that the Nazis had over run Europe, and parts of the Mediterranean area?

[DrFilth]

em some people make speak some english but that does not mean they can read all the legal jargon and understand it.