Immigrants contribute to British society

From HOPE not hate by Elisabeth Pop:

“Britain must say 'no' to Eastern European workers, says Cameron” (The Telegraph, 28 Oct 2013)

“98% demand a ban on new migrants as thousands support our Crusade” (The “Crusade” launched by the Daily Express on 1 November to prevent a new surge of “Bulgarian and Romanian workers” to Britain has already gained 12,000 signatures)

“How do I claim benefits when I get to Britain? Romanians demand help from job agencies in the UK” (Daily Mail, 3 Nov 2013)

These are some of the daily instances in which political figures and the tabloid press use Eastern European migrants as (scapegoats) for many, if not all of the perceived ills in British society.

Hence, those rare occasions when professional, non-partisan research sheds some light and underlines the real facts behind the contribution of Eastern European migrants to this country, have to be signposted.

A new study by the University College London shows that recent immigrants are less likely to claim benefits and live in social housing than people born in Britain. 

Contrary to what the Government and populist parties and pressure groups would have you believe, this latest report shows that rather than being a "drain", European Economic Area (EEA - the EU plus Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein) migrants contribute three times more to British economy than they receive in benefits.

The study also discusses "benefit tourism" by EEA immigrants as being “disconnected from reality", confirming a recent European Commission study which has found that jobless EU migrants make up 1% of those claiming social benefits in EU member states and in the UK.

We know that over the next few months we have our work cut out in terms of myth busting over the Romanian and Bulgarian immigration, in view of their UK work restriction being lifted from 1 January 2014. But just as a heads up, Romanian migrants, who are part of this latest wave of EEA migration, find themselves pawns in a political and media strategy intended to shift British rhetoric and politics on immigration further to the right. 

According to compiled data from the ONS, DWP and British Labour Force Survey, more than 75% of Romanian citizens in the United Kingdom are aged 18-34, working full-time in skilled jobs or setting up their own businesses. They do not require access to social benefits, because their main reason to immigrate to the UK is to find a fairly paid job in line with their skills and work ethic. In fact, 95% of Romanians living in the UK are employed. Almost 40% have a university degree.

"No hiding place" for racists

From the pink'un by Paddy Davitt:

Russell Martin backs Norwich City’s hardline stance on racist abuse

Russell Martin has applauded Norwich City’s hardline stance 

on combating racism within the professional game.

Canaries’ chief Chris Hughton has recently been subjected to alleged abuse on social media sites which has sparked a strong response from the club. City officials have pledged to issue lifetime bans to anyone found guilty of racist abuse and Martin has added his growing voice to the condemnation.  He said:

It is disgusting. The club have made it clear publicly if they find who is responsible they will be banned for life and might be subject to punishment outside of football. It is not right. I think this club have been great in how the have dealt with the issues. It is the minority not the majority but this club deals with in the right way.

Both Martin and his manager have endorsed Uefa’s decision to order a partial closure of CSKA Moscow’s ground for their next Champions League game following the racial abuse suffered by Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure last month.  Said Martin:

It is hard to say what is the right punishment but there is no place for it (racism) in the game or society. Who am I to say Uefa have made the right or wrong decision, but they (racist abusers) deserve to be punished.

Hughton believes such overt racist behaviour inside stadiums would no longer be tolerated in England.  The City boss said:

Firstly, what I have been pleased with is the speed of that decision. There will be different opinions whether it is a good thing or whether the sanction is over the top. They have acted and quickly. Clubs are aware of what can happen and I am quite sure if they continue to experience those problems then sanctions will get tougher. Ultimately it is about eliminating those within a stadium who are at the forefront of that behaviour. In England with the cameras we have inside the stadiums we are able to identify those individuals so there is no hiding place.

Myth-buster at UEA

Thursday, 14 November 2013

19:00


Congregation Hall 0.17


UEA Greens 2013/14 are very pleased to announce that they are hosting Jean Lambert MEP to give a talk on immigration at UEA on November 14th.

Jean Lambert has been a Green Member of the European Parliament for London since 1999 and works on a number of issues including Migration, Climate Change and Human Rights. In 2005, she was named Justice and Human Rights MEP of the year and is currently the Green Party spokesperson on immigration issues.

The talk will focus on busting the myths on immigration given in mainstream political discourse and offering a pro-immigrant alternative to the rhetoric heard in the right wing media and ever pervasive politics of UKIP.

November 14th, 7pm, C. Hall 0.17.


All welcome!

Youngsters sell Poppies for Peace

From the Huffington Post:

Poppy Selling Campaign By Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association Branches Nationwide

A group of young Muslims have taken their campaign to sell poppies nationwide to spread their message of "peace and unity between all nations, peoples and religions."

Members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association (AMYA) are hoping raise over £40,000 for the Poppy Appeal after their success selling poppies at London's Underground and train stations over the past two years.

100 volunteers from the AMYA are to sell poppies at 

London underground and rail stations from Monday. 

Although there have been reports of poppy sellers in Bradford being sent out with chaperones after being targeted last year, AMYA spokesperson Farooq Aftab told the Huffington Post UK any difficulties experienced have been "minor."  He said:

Irrespective of whether you are Muslim or Christian there’s always going to be a few who don’t understand and try to undermine what you are doing. Thankfully most people do understand and are supportive.

Countering claims that the poppy glorifies conflict, Mr Aftab said the symbol promoted community feeling.

The poppy is not about war; it’s about solidarity and showing loyalty to one’s country and standing together for a worthy cause. It’s about communities standing together as one.

Lots of Muslims actually served in World War I and World War II and lots have ancestors who served in the army. We therefore hope that our participation is a clear indication of our desire for peace and unity between all nations, peoples and religions.

The poppy campaign is being launched at Fazl mosque, 

which was used as a bomb shelter during World War II

The Caliph and Worldwide Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, His Holiness, Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said in a statement:

Muslims are obliged to be loyal to the country in which they live. Honouring those who fought to defend and safeguard one’s country is an important principle of Islam and in fact is an important principle of peace – especially when it is carried out with a sincere heart and for the sake of winning God’s pleasure.

Mayor of London, Boris Johnson also backed their intitiative, saying 

We should never forget the sacrifice of those who put their lives on the line to protect us and this time of the year gives us the opportunity to demonstrate our gratitude in a more tangible way.

I urge everyone to give generously to these young volunteers as they join thousands across the country in raising money for The Royal British Legion.

Middle Eastern buffet for Palestine

Saturday, 9 November 2013  

7 pm

St Thomas Church Hall, Earlham Road, Norwich

Norwich Palestine Solidarity Campaign 

Norwich Stop the War and the Neesa Project. 

An authentic Middle Eastern buffet supper 

prepared by the Neesa Project

There will be a short film and guest speaker from the Palestine Trauma Centre as well as some poetry and live music.

TICKETS

from The Greenhouse, Bethel Street, Norwich

or CALL

Sara 01603 259472 or

Frank 01493 664499 to order a ticket

PRICES: £15 full price, £10 unwaged and

£5 children under 16

SORRY -  SOLD OUT!

Confused signals

From EDL News:

Nazi fantasist expelled from Asda

From The Huffington Post UK/PA:

Shoppers in Asda in Cambridge were shocked to see a middle-aged man wandering the aisles dressed as a Nazi.

The man, wearing what resembled a black SS uniform complete with cap and red armband, was asked to leave by staff after other customers complained.

The manager of the Beehive Centre store asked him to leave after complaints from other customers.

Police were called to the incident at 2pm yesterday but a spokeswoman said: "By the time we got there he had already left peacefully."

A spokeswoman for Asda said: "We had a number of customer complaints so we asked him to leave the store."

Rosina Rusin, 60, from Milton, told the Cambridge News: 

I was waiting in a queue when a lady came up and she was really quite distressed about it.

I thought it was a Salvation Army person at first

People's mouths were falling open. You are not going to come out like that unless you want to draw attention to yourself.

It was unclear whether the incident was a Halloween prank.

Marisa Baker, 38, told the Cambridge News: 

We had come from Toys ‘R’ Us and I thought it was a Salvation Army person at first. But then I saw the tattoo on his neck and a swastika on his hand. It’s not what you want to see, especially as there’s children around.

Interface Learning

Anyone who is interested in integration projects with new communities: asylum seekers, refugees and others,  Interface Learning is NOW recruiting Mentors for young people and adults, for details, or to offer other grassroots volunteering support (with language classes, homework and friendship clubs and other activities).  Please like the page and keep in touch!

Volunteering

Interface Learning volunteers bring a wide range of skills to all our integration programmes – from leading specialist arts workshops to simply having a friendly conversation over a cup of tea with a new participant. IL volunteers are of a wide range of ages, and nationalities – from Norwich’s new communities, local people, students and visitors.

We train and support all volunteers, and carry out DBS checks (essential if you are working with children and young people).

Interface Learning is a company limited by guarantee with charitable aims, based in Norwich. We set up projects that bring people together across differences in age, race, gender, cultural and social groups, to develop new skills and promote cross-cultural friendship and understanding.

IL works with organisations, communities, families, young people and individuals from 27 countries, speaking 19 different languages and provides a range of volunteer opportunities.

Our clubs and projects bring people together in an informal and friendly atmosphere to learn new skills and meet new people, through practical, creative, hands-on activities.

At our core is the belief that greater diversity makes for richer community, and that integration and empowerment are key to community cohesion.

Love Music Hate Racism Ipswich

Please like us on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/lmhri?fref=ts

Please follow us on Twitter and share with your friends.

https://twitter.com/lmhripswich 

Museum launches request for stories for new 'Pilots of the Caribbean' exhibition

From Royal Air Force Museum news site:

In two World Wars black people from the Caribbean, Africa and from Britain volunteered to serve in the Royal Air Force. These volunteers fought, and died, for the Mother Country and for freedom, and thereby helped to preserve the values and the heritage they shared with their white comrades. The tradition of service to the Crown continues today, and the RAF is proud to welcome new generations of black volunteers into its ranks. 

In a brand new exhibition, curated in partnership with the Black Cultural Archives, the Royal Air Force Museum will tell in ‘Pilots of the Caribbean: Volunteers of African Heritage in the Royal Air Force' the inspirational story of these volunteers, commemorating and celebrating their vital contribution to the defence of Britain, her Empire and Commonwealth.

The exhibition will also highlight the RAF's success in embracing diversity and also demonstrate how the rich, cosmopolitan nature of modern Britain owes much to the black men and women who wore air force blue.

Although we have a wealth of archive materials to draw from, the Royal Air Force Museum would welcome stories and photographs from former, and serving, black RAF Service Personnel and their families. If you would like to assist in the Museum with this appeal, in the first instance, please email the Museum's Research Department atresearch@rafmuseum.org or call us on 020 8358 4873.

The exhibition will open initially in London on 1st of November 2013 and will then transfer to our sister Museum in Cosford Summer 2014.

Pictures show Flight Lieutenant Trevor Edwards in 1992 and First World War Pilot William Robinson Clarke.

Pilots Of The Caribbean

From the Voice by S. I. Martin:

RAF honours the black heroes who fought for Britain

OFFICERS AND GENTLEMEN: A group of RAF officers.
Ulric Cross, the most decorated West Indian veteran, is third from right in the front row

LIKE THE sailors at the Battle of Trafalgar or the archers at Agincourt, the figure of the World War II Royal Air Force pilot stands high in Britain’s national story. When we imagine the typical Spitfire pilot or the crewman of a Lancaster bomber we seldom picture someone of African heritage. Yet nearly 500 black men from the West Indies, Africa and Britain answered the call to serve as aircrew and thousands more worked as ground support staff.

Before the war, entry into the Royal Air Force was restricted to “men of pure European descent” except under exceptional circumstances. An exceptional circumstance arose in the early years of the war when thousands of airmen were lost or killed in action.

As a result, the call for volunteers went out across the British Empire. This call (together with the withdrawal of the colour bar to service) led to the enlistment of nearly 6,000 people from the Caribbean. Sixty black Africans volunteered with a further 5,200 serving in the West African Air Corps.

Flight Lieutenant John J Blair, DFC (Jamaica) said: 

While we were fighting we never thought about defending the Empire...Few people think about what would have happened to them in Jamaica if Germany had defeated Britain, but we certainly could have returned to slavery.

The experience of volunteers of African heritage in the RAF is the subject of a new exhibition at the Royal Air Force Museum curated in partnership with the Black Cultural Archives.

Unlike the famous Tuskegee Airmen of the United States 332nd Fighter Group, Black aircrew in the RAF were not segregated and served alongside white servicemen. A total of 103 were decorated.

Former Royal Air Force personnel featured prominently amongst those who led the Caribbean territories to independence including Errol Barrow, prime minister of Barbados and Michael Manley, prime minister of Jamaica.

Up to a third of the arrivals on the Empire Windrush in 1948 were either former airmen or those looking to join the service.

In the post-war period, ex-Royal Air Force personnel would play crucial roles in the development of the black community in Britain.

The Black Cultural Archives will be opening the UK’s first dedicated Black Heritage Centre at Windrush Square, Brixton, in 2014.
..................................................................................

THOSE WHO FLEW

Flight Lieutenant Dudley ‘Burning Spear’ Thompson, Jamaica
An eminent Pan-Africanist, Jamaican foreign minister, international lawyer, chairman of the People’s National Party of Jamaica, Ambassador to Ghana, Sierra Leone and Nigeria, Dudley Thompson QC was amongst the first Jamaicans to enlist as aircrew in the RAF.

Squadron Leader Ulric Cross DFC DSO, Trinidad
International lawyer, High Commisioner, BBC producer and diplomat. As a navigator he flew with the elite Pathfinder Force that perfected techniques for precision main force bombing. He completed 80 missions over occupied Europe, often flying at 50ft. Cross was the most decorated West Indian in the wartime RAF. He died on October 4, 2013.

Flight Lieutenant Edward Scobie, Dominica
The ‘godfather’ of Black British history and author of Black Britannia: A History of Blacks in Britain, Dr Edward Scobie was a pilot in Bomber Command during World War II. He was a founder member of the Dominica Freedom Party and went on to lecture in history and political science at Rutgers University, Princeton and New York City University.

Flight Lieutenant Cy Grant, Guyana
Writer, barrister, philosopher, actor and theatre advocate, Cy Grant was shot down on his third bombing mission in June 1943. He spent the next two years as a prisoner of war. His calypso performances on the Tonight show made him the most popular African-Caribbean performer on British television in the 1960s.

Sam King, Jamaica
Former mayor of Southwark and civil rights campaigner. Joined the RAF in 1944. Returned to Britain on the Empire Windrush in 1948.

Val McCalla, Jamaica
Founder of The Voice newspaper. He served in the RAF in the 1960s

Who is behind "missing girl" racist hoax?

From the Croydon Advertiser by Rachel Millard: 

Race hate group: 'Croydon random target for missing girl hoax'

THE race hate group behind a sick social media hoax that a girl had been abducted by an “Asian grooming gang” have admitted they targeted Croydon completely at random.

A poster, circulated to thousands of people on Facebook and other social networking sites, appealed for the safe return of a girl named Amy Hamilton, "believed to have been kidnapped by an Asian grooming gang".

It continued: "She is six years old and was last seen in the Croydon area of London, wearing a pink top and blue jeans."

But police confirmed on Wednesday no such child was missing and the message was a fake.The poster was the work of the far-right group Britons against Left-Wing Extremism (Bale).

Steven Sodholmy, editor of the Daily Bale blog, said in an e-mail the poster was "not a hoax", adding: "The poster and the 20,000 that shared it on Facebook were informed about the harsh reality of Asian grooming gangs that have been operating in the Croydon area of London now for some time."

But pressed to name any instances of "Asian grooming gangs" in the area, he admitted: 

Croydon is a very specific area we chose but it is well-known that these gangs operate all over the United Kingdom.

Raising awareness is key here and Croydon is an area that we chose at random via a map.

After the hoax was first highlighted by the Advertiser the Daily Bale deactivated its Twitter and Facebook page.

Vidhi Mohan, Croydon Council's cabinet member for communities, said he did not think the peddling of racist stereotypes would be accepted in the borough.

He said: "I think in Croydon it is recognised that our community relationships are excellent. Nobody wants to be stereotyped but at the same time I think our communities are strong and people don't fall for these things."

Supt Rob Atkin, of Croydon police, said: 

These type of hoax appeals are, at best, extremely unhelpful and distasteful and can potentially divert public attention away from genuine appeals.

We rely on the support of the public and media to help us when we release appeals to find our most vulnerable missing people.

The support we get for these appeals is fantastic, but these hoaxes can really damage the effectiveness of genuine appeals.

The poster included a phone number which led callers to an insurance company, which told the Advertiser it had no connection with the hoaxers and was taking steps to have its number removed.

A photograph said to be of Amy Hamilton on the poster appeared to have been taken from an artist's Flickr page.

Supt Atkin said: "If in doubt check with police through our website or Twitter account, or the Missing Persons charity website www.missingpeople.org to see if an appeal is genuine."

-----------------------------------------------------------

So who is this Steven Sodholmy, editor of the BALE, who is responsible for spreading such vile rumours?  

According to blogger Glenn Miller, and to Anti Fascists Online, Sodholmy is the pseudonym of Joshua Bonehill or Joshua Bonehill-Paine. 

Glenn Miller provided this photograph: 

If these allegations are true, then baby-faced racist Bonehill has some explaining to do.

Why did he take the photograph of a little girl from an artist's web page?   Why did he concoct such a miserable lie about a missing girl and blame "Asian grooming gangs"?  And why then put it on a website that is called Britons Against Left-wing Extremism?  

By this stupid hoax Bonehill became a poster boy for the extreme far right.