Thanks for followup story Jack - no lessons have been learnt by this policy. Parachuting people into deprived areas - with no consultation with the locals - is a recipe for mistrust and concern. Are they genuine asylum seekers fleeing persecution - or are they illegal migrants who we do not know their history or background.
Eitherway, this policy is unsustainable - we have a severe shortage of social housing, tent cities in every major town - a homelessness issue.
Our infrastucture cannot cope with more people arriving unchecked.
As a few people on here have already said,this is now being used as some kind of tool to divide communities, and it would seem that no lessons have been learned or warnings heeded. It may seem cynical to say this, but is it just a mere coincidence, that - almost - every area chosen to house the assylum seekers is in the same or similar situation to Knowsley ? none of them "reeks of affluence" and as such they prove to be ideal breeding grounds for resentment. Housing and various other resources are at a minimum, Councils are them finding themselves having to deal with situations that they are ill equiped for, and also given very little time to set up anything in place. and of course over the years, many city councils have been told that they have to more with less, and in the end they find themselves facing bankruptcy.
Meanwhile, a situation like this is a god-given opportunity for a government facing severe criticism both here and abroad, as it often shifts the attention away from their domestic failures. Perhaps, if instead of chasing this through the courts, they took a step back and channeled some of the resources, into providing councils with the means to help the people it dumps on them, and also maybe provide some help for the officials who are supposed to be processing these people's claims, instead, all we ever hear about are cuts, and blame shifting, nothing about cutting immigration processing centres, where genuine claims for assylum could be sorted out much easier, but no, let's just pretend we're trying to the United States of America in the early part of the last century , and let anyone who fancies it, make their way across the globe and arrive here.
Finally, a question to Michael Dempsey, how concerned were you when reports of thousands of people from Ukraine were being landed on these very same shores, or was that ok because the media told you they were fleeing oppression?
All over Europe, parliamentary parties (not just fringe ones) are gleefully exploiting the plight of migrants to divide local communities and scrounge the votes of the hard-pressed locals.
I don’t know whether the government actions is driven by incompetence or evil, though I suspect it’s a bit 50-50. What’s for sure is that, with climate change, the number of migrants is going to rise and rise, and we need to think deeply about our response.
I agree with Steve, we are a small island and have limited resources especially now after years of austerity. I feel this government has created these situations to cause hate, fear and division. I wouldn’t want to walk a mile in a migrants shoes, with many fleeing war zones with nothing but the clothes on their backs. Just imagine if it was the other way round I’d hope that I’d be welcomed and at the very least helped.
I was part of the first independent monitoring board set up outside of London to monitor short term holding facilities such as airports UKBA office's etc in this time I never seen anyone who had came to this country to take anyone's places in NHS school's or take anyone's jobs but what I did see was people who were frig
I took video that evening of 10th Feb 2023. I was there.
Not one journalist has asked to see my video (its on YouTube) and nobody comments on the fact Merseyside Police came at peaceful protestors - using riot gear clad police to suddenly push us with shields towards the burning van just before it exploded.
I asked police why they did this - they ignored the question - dismissed the video and asked if I wanted to complain.
Councillors ignored me. MP ignored me. They did not want to see the video footage and nor does the Liverpool Post from what I can gauge here. The footage may have helped the defendants, which is why it was buried away.
In a traffic accident, with a vehicle alight, police move people away from the fire. In this case they pushed us towards it and video proves it. Yet not one political figure offered to help us.
Had it been a BLM protest or pro migrant protest - I'd have had politicians lining up to help. Solicitors falling over themselves to help. I was labelled 'far right'. Absolute claptrap.
Most of the men in the hotel were single male economic migrants who came here illegally. There is no war in Iran. In fact - it's the West and Israel moving Muslims en masse from the Middle East to clear the area. To stir up war between us and Muslims by importing millions. Labour Party waged war on Muslims - now they berate us for objecting to mass migration from Muslim nations. Some of these Muslims will want revenge. I do not blame them. Local MP George Howarth leapt up in the Parliament vote on the Iraq War to say yes to the Iraq War - he also defends Israel and will not vote for ceasefire - and yet this dimwit calls locals 'far right' for protesting.
Am I alone in thinking the world is turned upside down?
Given the serious issue of rape gangs across the UK, covered up by police, social workers, councils, journalists and MPs - I'm not surprised some of the people of Kirkby acted the way they did. What did you expect people to do? Left wingers shy away from mentioning how many rapes Liverpool has seen this past few years - some vile attacks - but let's pretend its not happening for the sake of diversity. Like Rochdale did.
Violent protests are part and parcel of the history of the working class. We were praised for fighting the police at the anti Poll Tax protests. But now we are 'a mob' of 'thugs'.
The protest nipped grooming gangs in Kirkby in the bud. Had nothing happened - and the 'welcome all refugees' brigades had no opposition, single men in the hotel would have got bolder. Other incidents happened. If you want proof - I'll provide it. Not hearsay - photos of another migrant who lurked in a park until locals called police. His phone was searched briefly. And he walked away. Unless police are experts on phone forensics, surely he should have been arrested and the phone examined.
Kirkby has a fearsome reputation on nonces. The Echo does not report on what happens in that regard but over the years - harsh treatment has been dished out here to our own people. Nobody gets a pass - not foreigners, not locals, not anyone. I'm proud Kirkby stood up for its children. Every town in England should have done the same. I'm not saying we should be violent - but if a grown man thinks he can chat up 15 yr olds in school uniform - I have no sympathy if he is attacked.
Put it this way - if 100 Scousers went to Afghanistan and started leering at local girls and women - how long would we last? The locals would kill us. Rightfully so.
The concerns of working class people are dismissed as 'far right' - by the Labourites who seem happy to welcome single men here into a town which is short on housing, GPs, dentists and every service you could imagine. There are few places for children to play in safety. Councillors own their own homes (at least one) so housing shortage does not affect them in the least.
One Echo report stated petrol bombs were thrown - and more than one police car was set alight. I was there - I saw none of that.
Nobody stood up for us - the unions, councillors and other Scouse left wingers, happy for a judge to lie if it gets what they perceive as 'far right' in trouble. This is a dangerous thing. Next time it could be left wingers fighting the police who suffer the falsehoods of a judge.
"This was sustained and extremely hostile mob violence towards asylum seekers and the police, which involved petrol bombs, numerous fireworks and dangerous missiles. It resulted in three officers being injured." Judge Denis Watson making it up as he goes along.
Well done Jack. A prime example of a snapshot taken from inside the mess the government has made with their asylum-seeker policies.
But to tell any story properly it has to be told from the beginning and the beginning of the story about the huge influx of migrants, illegal or otherwise, goes back a couple of decades.
Many of the world's population felt a tremendous relief when the cold war came to an end in 19191 and globalisation began to take on great strides in the years that followed. Countries that have been kept in an economic strait jacket for forty years because of the geopolitical block system created by the cold war were able to trade with all other countries freely and most of the previously-poor countries managed to get on the road to prosperity. During those years, migration between countries bloomed through trade links, people. education and cultural exchanges as the world became increasingly multipolar. Many of them have learned how our socio-political system works.
While the vast majority of the world welcomed the restoration of the fast-establishing global level playing field, those in the administration of certain country that had made colossal financial gains during the cold war years using military threats and sanctions and saw themselves as the unchallenged dominant power of the world, decided it was for their own interests the world must be returned to the state when division, distrust and animosity was being fostered between nations. Hence we first had the Iraq war-on-a-lie, quickly followed by Afghanistan and Libya and would have completely destroyed Syria if the Russian did not have their base there. They were instrumental in the creation of ISIS and other Islamic 'rebels' in order to maintain the chaos in the middle-east. By now the world knows Ukraine was used by them to goad the Russian into the present conflict and to destroy the previously-flourishing Russian-Europe trade links. What they are creating is another cold war and the first victims are the asylum seekers and other migrants.
People might like to travel to other places as tourists or to do business or for education but the vast majority would return and stayed in their own country if the country was stable, prosperous and safe. They will only leave when their country was destroyed by wars and conflicts instigated by outside forces. Over the years I have met and have made friends with a number of migrants and asylum seekers of various ethnic denominations. Even some of them have more or less settled here, but the sentiment of returning to their own country if and when it becomes 'normal' again remains.
BBC journalist contacted me via this site. He or she is making a documentary on the issue and wants me to take part. They have more chance of knitting fog. Plus, we do not need the mainstream media to present our case in Kirkby.
I have enough video footage to make my own documentary. I live in Kirkby so can interview people myself - without using them and presenting them as far right lunatics. Without sneaky tricks such as baiting people and making them look like fools. I know the tricks they use.
Most folk will not talk on camera. Understandable as anyone who was at the protest could lose their jobs for their views.
I've not trusted the BBC since 1984 when they done a piece of work on the miners.
Thanks for followup story Jack - no lessons have been learnt by this policy. Parachuting people into deprived areas - with no consultation with the locals - is a recipe for mistrust and concern. Are they genuine asylum seekers fleeing persecution - or are they illegal migrants who we do not know their history or background.
Eitherway, this policy is unsustainable - we have a severe shortage of social housing, tent cities in every major town - a homelessness issue.
Our infrastucture cannot cope with more people arriving unchecked.
As a few people on here have already said,this is now being used as some kind of tool to divide communities, and it would seem that no lessons have been learned or warnings heeded. It may seem cynical to say this, but is it just a mere coincidence, that - almost - every area chosen to house the assylum seekers is in the same or similar situation to Knowsley ? none of them "reeks of affluence" and as such they prove to be ideal breeding grounds for resentment. Housing and various other resources are at a minimum, Councils are them finding themselves having to deal with situations that they are ill equiped for, and also given very little time to set up anything in place. and of course over the years, many city councils have been told that they have to more with less, and in the end they find themselves facing bankruptcy.
Meanwhile, a situation like this is a god-given opportunity for a government facing severe criticism both here and abroad, as it often shifts the attention away from their domestic failures. Perhaps, if instead of chasing this through the courts, they took a step back and channeled some of the resources, into providing councils with the means to help the people it dumps on them, and also maybe provide some help for the officials who are supposed to be processing these people's claims, instead, all we ever hear about are cuts, and blame shifting, nothing about cutting immigration processing centres, where genuine claims for assylum could be sorted out much easier, but no, let's just pretend we're trying to the United States of America in the early part of the last century , and let anyone who fancies it, make their way across the globe and arrive here.
Finally, a question to Michael Dempsey, how concerned were you when reports of thousands of people from Ukraine were being landed on these very same shores, or was that ok because the media told you they were fleeing oppression?
All over Europe, parliamentary parties (not just fringe ones) are gleefully exploiting the plight of migrants to divide local communities and scrounge the votes of the hard-pressed locals.
I don’t know whether the government actions is driven by incompetence or evil, though I suspect it’s a bit 50-50. What’s for sure is that, with climate change, the number of migrants is going to rise and rise, and we need to think deeply about our response.
I agree with Steve, we are a small island and have limited resources especially now after years of austerity. I feel this government has created these situations to cause hate, fear and division. I wouldn’t want to walk a mile in a migrants shoes, with many fleeing war zones with nothing but the clothes on their backs. Just imagine if it was the other way round I’d hope that I’d be welcomed and at the very least helped.
I was part of the first independent monitoring board set up outside of London to monitor short term holding facilities such as airports UKBA office's etc in this time I never seen anyone who had came to this country to take anyone's places in NHS school's or take anyone's jobs but what I did see was people who were frig
I took video that evening of 10th Feb 2023. I was there.
Not one journalist has asked to see my video (its on YouTube) and nobody comments on the fact Merseyside Police came at peaceful protestors - using riot gear clad police to suddenly push us with shields towards the burning van just before it exploded.
I asked police why they did this - they ignored the question - dismissed the video and asked if I wanted to complain.
Councillors ignored me. MP ignored me. They did not want to see the video footage and nor does the Liverpool Post from what I can gauge here. The footage may have helped the defendants, which is why it was buried away.
In a traffic accident, with a vehicle alight, police move people away from the fire. In this case they pushed us towards it and video proves it. Yet not one political figure offered to help us.
Had it been a BLM protest or pro migrant protest - I'd have had politicians lining up to help. Solicitors falling over themselves to help. I was labelled 'far right'. Absolute claptrap.
Most of the men in the hotel were single male economic migrants who came here illegally. There is no war in Iran. In fact - it's the West and Israel moving Muslims en masse from the Middle East to clear the area. To stir up war between us and Muslims by importing millions. Labour Party waged war on Muslims - now they berate us for objecting to mass migration from Muslim nations. Some of these Muslims will want revenge. I do not blame them. Local MP George Howarth leapt up in the Parliament vote on the Iraq War to say yes to the Iraq War - he also defends Israel and will not vote for ceasefire - and yet this dimwit calls locals 'far right' for protesting.
Am I alone in thinking the world is turned upside down?
Given the serious issue of rape gangs across the UK, covered up by police, social workers, councils, journalists and MPs - I'm not surprised some of the people of Kirkby acted the way they did. What did you expect people to do? Left wingers shy away from mentioning how many rapes Liverpool has seen this past few years - some vile attacks - but let's pretend its not happening for the sake of diversity. Like Rochdale did.
Violent protests are part and parcel of the history of the working class. We were praised for fighting the police at the anti Poll Tax protests. But now we are 'a mob' of 'thugs'.
The protest nipped grooming gangs in Kirkby in the bud. Had nothing happened - and the 'welcome all refugees' brigades had no opposition, single men in the hotel would have got bolder. Other incidents happened. If you want proof - I'll provide it. Not hearsay - photos of another migrant who lurked in a park until locals called police. His phone was searched briefly. And he walked away. Unless police are experts on phone forensics, surely he should have been arrested and the phone examined.
Kirkby has a fearsome reputation on nonces. The Echo does not report on what happens in that regard but over the years - harsh treatment has been dished out here to our own people. Nobody gets a pass - not foreigners, not locals, not anyone. I'm proud Kirkby stood up for its children. Every town in England should have done the same. I'm not saying we should be violent - but if a grown man thinks he can chat up 15 yr olds in school uniform - I have no sympathy if he is attacked.
Put it this way - if 100 Scousers went to Afghanistan and started leering at local girls and women - how long would we last? The locals would kill us. Rightfully so.
The concerns of working class people are dismissed as 'far right' - by the Labourites who seem happy to welcome single men here into a town which is short on housing, GPs, dentists and every service you could imagine. There are few places for children to play in safety. Councillors own their own homes (at least one) so housing shortage does not affect them in the least.
One Echo report stated petrol bombs were thrown - and more than one police car was set alight. I was there - I saw none of that.
Nobody stood up for us - the unions, councillors and other Scouse left wingers, happy for a judge to lie if it gets what they perceive as 'far right' in trouble. This is a dangerous thing. Next time it could be left wingers fighting the police who suffer the falsehoods of a judge.
"This was sustained and extremely hostile mob violence towards asylum seekers and the police, which involved petrol bombs, numerous fireworks and dangerous missiles. It resulted in three officers being injured." Judge Denis Watson making it up as he goes along.
https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/thug-who-formed-part-suites-28840630
Well done Jack. A prime example of a snapshot taken from inside the mess the government has made with their asylum-seeker policies.
But to tell any story properly it has to be told from the beginning and the beginning of the story about the huge influx of migrants, illegal or otherwise, goes back a couple of decades.
Many of the world's population felt a tremendous relief when the cold war came to an end in 19191 and globalisation began to take on great strides in the years that followed. Countries that have been kept in an economic strait jacket for forty years because of the geopolitical block system created by the cold war were able to trade with all other countries freely and most of the previously-poor countries managed to get on the road to prosperity. During those years, migration between countries bloomed through trade links, people. education and cultural exchanges as the world became increasingly multipolar. Many of them have learned how our socio-political system works.
While the vast majority of the world welcomed the restoration of the fast-establishing global level playing field, those in the administration of certain country that had made colossal financial gains during the cold war years using military threats and sanctions and saw themselves as the unchallenged dominant power of the world, decided it was for their own interests the world must be returned to the state when division, distrust and animosity was being fostered between nations. Hence we first had the Iraq war-on-a-lie, quickly followed by Afghanistan and Libya and would have completely destroyed Syria if the Russian did not have their base there. They were instrumental in the creation of ISIS and other Islamic 'rebels' in order to maintain the chaos in the middle-east. By now the world knows Ukraine was used by them to goad the Russian into the present conflict and to destroy the previously-flourishing Russian-Europe trade links. What they are creating is another cold war and the first victims are the asylum seekers and other migrants.
People might like to travel to other places as tourists or to do business or for education but the vast majority would return and stayed in their own country if the country was stable, prosperous and safe. They will only leave when their country was destroyed by wars and conflicts instigated by outside forces. Over the years I have met and have made friends with a number of migrants and asylum seekers of various ethnic denominations. Even some of them have more or less settled here, but the sentiment of returning to their own country if and when it becomes 'normal' again remains.
BBC journalist contacted me via this site. He or she is making a documentary on the issue and wants me to take part. They have more chance of knitting fog. Plus, we do not need the mainstream media to present our case in Kirkby.
I have enough video footage to make my own documentary. I live in Kirkby so can interview people myself - without using them and presenting them as far right lunatics. Without sneaky tricks such as baiting people and making them look like fools. I know the tricks they use.
Most folk will not talk on camera. Understandable as anyone who was at the protest could lose their jobs for their views.
I've not trusted the BBC since 1984 when they done a piece of work on the miners.