The Guardian, Tuesday November 18 2008
Patrick Barkham

Immigration minister Phil Woolas has attacked lawyers and charities working on behalf of asylum seekers, accusing them of undermining the law and "playing the system".  In an interview with the Guardian, Woolas described the legal professionals and NGO workers as "an industry", and said most asylum seekers were not fleeing persecution but were economic migrants.
"The system is played by migration lawyers and NGOs to the nth degree," Woolas said.   "By giving false hope and by undermining the legal system, [they] actually cause more harm than they do good."
It is the latest in a series of controversial public interventions by Woolas since he was appointed immigration minister by Gordon Brown in the October reshuffle.
Immigration lawyers said Woolas's comments were "absolutely extraordinary".
Sophie Brown, chair of the Immigration Law Practitioners Association (Ilpa), said:  "Lawyers can only work with the law.   To say they are undermining the law is an extraordinary comment to make."
Woolas described how his outspoken remarks had triggered accusations he was the new Enoch Powell, an attack he rejects.  "Enoch Powell was trying to divide this country.   I'm trying to heal this country by allowing us to have a mature debate on immigration," he said.
In one case, Woolas said, an asylum seeker had won the right to stay after going through six layers of appeal. "That person has no right to be in this country but I'm sure that there is an industry out there [with] a vested interest."
He concedes there are some harrowing, genuine cases of people fleeing persecution, which he claims are undermined by economic migrants. He recounted how another asylum seeker visited his constituency office in Oldham:   "One lady showed me the scars on her thighs from where the soldiers had raped her, so I know," said Woolas, "but I cannot take a decision on that lady's behalf if I am fogged by cases that are misusing the law."
Donna Covey, chief executive of the Refugee Council, said the appeals process was a vital safety net for asylum seekers who are "criminalised" on arriving in Britain.   "Having your asylum claim rejected does not make you an economic migrant.   For some nationalities, such as Eritreans and Somalis, almost half of refused asylum seekers have their cases upheld on appeal.   These are people who would be in danger of persecution such as murder, torture or rape if sent back to the repressive regimes they are fleeing."
Woolas has raised the rhetoric at a time when the asylum issue has substantially diminished.   At the peak there were more than 76,000 applications a year, in 2000; last year there were fewer than 24,000.
Woolas told the Guardian the "primary purpose" of immigration policy was to reassure the public that the government was in control of immigration.   "The public recognise that we don't know the exact numbers.   They see the asylum backlog and what they fear is that we don't have any control over the system," he said.
He argued he was not pandering to the far right by raising concerns about asylum seekers.   "You can only stop it being seen as a problem when you can convince the public you're in control of it."

Are you going to be on your own on Christmas Day?   If so why not join us for lunch and tea on Christmas Day at Sylvia’s Cafe in the Wolseley Trust buildings in Keyham.  We are able to provide transport to and from the venue as long as you can get into a car. We have tea and coffee on arrival,    a traditional Christmas Lunch is served at 1 p.m.     Carol singing, entertainment and the Queen’s speech in the afternoon.   A light tea will be served at about 4:30 p.m. and guests will depart from about 5:15 p.m.   The cost of all this, nothing, yes you read it right.... NOTHING!

Some might say that there are children who are difficult to believe in - those who are troublesome or engage in anti-social behaviour.   At Barnardo's, they argue that it is these children who especially need their help and support.   Most children in trouble are trapped in a cycle of disadvantage - they suffer educationally, financially and are more likely to suffer from poor health.   At Barnardo's, their work and intervention can help break this cycle.   They know from experience that most children who start down the wrong path can be helped to change direction.   They believe in all children and young people, no matter who they are, what they have done and what they've been through.

This year Samba performers from across the South West brightened up the day of many shoppers as the shimmied through Derry’s on the Saturday.  On both days there were a range of workshops and performances.  One exciting addition to the Sunday procession was the giant puppets made by Devonport schools.  As has happened in previous years the procession was lead by Bhangra band Nachdey Hasdey and the City of Plymouth Pipe Band brought up the rear.  This embodies the spirit of the Respect Festival, in that it includes all elements of our British society, but for once allows those elements that are in a minority numerically to come to the fore.

During Refugee Week hundreds of events exploring refugee experiences take place across the UK.  These range from small community and school activities to art exhibitions, political debates, film screenings, conferences, big music festivals, sports events etc.  Anyone can get involved in Refugee Week either by organising or visiting an event or by just spreading the word!