Tuesday, May 23, 2017

Immigration Matters: Manchester suicide bombing terror attack kills 22,...

Immigration Matters: Manchester suicide bombing terror attack kills 22,...: A young heath and social care student from Lancashire has been named as the first victim of the Manchester suicide bomb attack at Manchest...

Manchester suicide bombing terror attack kills 22, first victim named as health and social care student

A young heath and social care student from Lancashire has been named as the first victim of the Manchester suicide bomb attack at Manchester Arena last night.



Georgina Callander with Ariana Grande


Georgina Callander, 18, pictured here with Ariana Grande a couple of years ago, was one of 22 people who died after the explosion on Monday at the end of a concert by the US singer, who tweeted that she was "broken" by the tragic events.

News is coming through that the youngest victim was an eight year old girl killed in the blast. The girl, Saffie Roussos, 8, was a pupil at Tarleton Primary School, in Lancashire

The suspect, as yet unnamed by the police, is said to have been a lone attacker  who detonated a homemade bomb in the packed foyer at 22:33 BST on Monday, in what Prime Minister Theresa May called an "appalling, sickening" terrorist act.

Armed police have arrested a 23-year-old man in Chorlton, south Manchester, in connection with the attack, the BBC has reported.

In a statement by Runshaw College in Leyland made with "enormous sadness", they confirmed that Georgina was on the second year of a health and social care course.

"Our deepest sympathies, thoughts and prayers go out to all of Georgina's family, friends, and all of those affected by this loss," the college said.

"We are offering all available support possible at this tragic time, including counselling with our dedicated student support team."

Georgina was studying for qualifications to enable her to give service to others and our thoughts and prayers go to her and all the victims and families.

Relatives are using social media to hunt for missing loved ones, and an emergency number, 0161 856 9400, has been set up.

The UK is an open country where people can visit and stand close to government buildings. They can roam freely in city centres and airports. Will this have to change in order to guarantee the safety of its citizens and visitors?

I have been to many countries where people are scanned with metal detectors and have their bags searched before entering public buildings, shopping malls, airports and railway stations. After the initial surprise, you eventually learn to live with it and feel safer for it. Sadly, this increased level of security could become a part of our life in the UK.

Tuesday, May 09, 2017

Immigration Matters: Prime Minister May sticks to election pledge to re...

Immigration Matters: Prime Minister May sticks to election pledge to re...: With a surprise general election set for 9 June, Prime Minister Theresa May has confirmed the Conservative pledge of slashing net migratio...

Prime Minister May sticks to election pledge to reduce net migration to the tens of thousands

With a surprise general election set for 9 June, Prime Minister Theresa May has confirmed the Conservative pledge of slashing net migration to the "tens of thousands", or what she described as "sustainable levels".

Mrs May, who is currently twenty points ahead of her nearest rival, Labour leader  Jeremy Corbyn, in the UK election polls, said it was important to reach net migration targets to reduce pressure on public services and the lower paid workers.

Theresa May

She said: "I think it is important that we continue, and we will continue, to say that we do want to bring net migration down to sustainable levels.

"We believe that is the tens of thousands, and of course once we leave the European Union we will have the opportunity to ensure that we have control of our borders here in the UK, because we'll be able to establish our rules for people coming from the European Union into the UK."

Referring to Brexit, May continued: "That's a part of the picture that we haven't been able to control before and we will be able to control it.

"Leaving the EU means that we won't have free movement as it has been in the past."
Party sources had earlier revealed to the press that the commitment would appear in the party's 
General Election manifesto.

Amber Rudd

On Sunday, Home Secretary Amber Rudd confirmed she wanted to "continue to bring immigration down", which under her watch have started to fall.

Who will make our coffee and croissant?

Miss Rudd, who took control of the Home Office from Theresa May added:

"I did hear that Pret a Manger had come out and said, 'It's absolutely essential for us to have European workers because if we don't we're going to have to make more of an effort to recruit in the UK'. 

"Well, good. I'd like them to make more of an effort to recruit in the UK. So we will be trying to push them as well to do more in the UK.

"Them and all business – so that we make sure we look after people who are otherwise unemployed in the UK better".

Pret's director of human resources claimed it would struggle to staff its outlets after Brexit because so few British people apply for jobs. Andrea Wareham said the industry was not seen as sufficiently desirable to attract a significant number of British jobseekers. 

The coffee chain employs people from 110 countries, but in London you are more likely to find European workers running the show. With millions of able bodied British people claiming benefits, it is hardly surprising that Amber Rudd refuses to pander to those worried about who will make their coffee or warm up their croissant in the stores that seem occupy almost every other shopfront in London. How did we all manage before Starbucks started our obsession with coffee? 

None of the main parties has said that EU migrants living here would not be able to continue to live and work in the UK.

Recent immigration figures reveal that net migration fell to 273,000 in the year to September, which is the first time in two years that the balance of people arriving and leaving the UK slid below 300,000.

The number of international students coming to study in Britain dropped to their lowest level since 2002, which contributed to the overall net migration figures.

Jeremy Corbyn said Labour would introduce a "fair" and managed immigration system that "works for all", while pointing out many immigrants have made a "massive contribution" to the NHS, education, industry and public transport services.

The previous Blair Labour government opened the doors to millions of migrants across all sectors from care workers and nurses to international students. At the same time the EU expansion took place adding at least 2 million migrants from former Soviet Bloc countries such as Poland and Romania.

Since coming to power in 2010, the Conservatives have reversed the spiralling immigration trend with tough new measures - such as scrapping the Post Study Work Visa, reforming the visa appeal system and introducing fines to landlords housing illegal immigrants - even if former Prime Minister David Cameron’s original targets have not yet been reached.