Bishop of Blackburn's concerns over asylum seeker plan

3:00pm Monday 2nd July 2012 in News Photograph of the Author By Bill Jacobs, Local government reporter

THE Bishop of Blackburn has backed Jack Straw and the borough council’s concerns over the possible doubling of asylum seekers coming to the town under a new management system.

The Rt Rev Nicholas Reade spoke out as representatives from Serco, the private company taking over the ‘dispersal’ contract from the local authority, and the UK Borders Agency prepare to visit the town.

They will meet officials from Blackburn with Darwen Council tomorrow before going on to be questioned by asylum seekers settled here under a previous arrangement between the Home Office and the local authority.

MP Mr Straw, who in government struck the original deal in 2000 capping the numbers at 700, has urged Home Secretary Theresa May to reduce that limit to the 350 currently in the borough which council leader Kate Hollern and officials think is enough.

He has also asked her to ensure that the authority has final control of where new asylum seekers are placed, because of issues of social cohesion in the town.

Bishop Reade said: “Asylum seekers are amongst the most vulnerable people in our society.

“While their claim to asylum is being investigated, it is important they are given a welcome and the necessary support.

“This needs to be done in a well-managed way that does not overwhelm the resources of any particular community.

“I am proud of the way in which both the council and the people of Blackburn with Darwen have welcomed asylum seekers living amongst us in recent years. I share some of the concerns expressed by Mr Straw and by councillors, that a sudden doubling in numbers being sent to live here could stretch resources beyond capacity.

“This would not only be to the detriment of permanent residents but also to asylum seekers themselves.”

Vin Purcell, who works for Blackburn Cathedral with the Children’s Society and the local Methodist church supporting the asylum seekers as they settle in the town, has organised tomorrow’s meeting.

He said: “Serco can expect some very searching questions from the asylum seekers about the new arrange- ments.

“There is great concern among them and those of us who work with them that they might make things worse rather than better.”

Comments(22)

SilverFox424 says...
3:27pm Mon 2 Jul 12

The bishop could let a few asylum seekers stay with him in his palatial home, that would be very Christian and leading by example

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stormy says...
3:32pm Mon 2 Jul 12

Our health service if failing, our schools are overcrowded and we have a large housing waiting list - how can Blackburn cope with taking in more of these people. I am sick of paying my taxes - I've always worked and seeing folks just waltz into this country and get all the benefits I have worked for been given to them for free!!

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berniep says...
3:40pm Mon 2 Jul 12

When is it going to be questioned as to why the asylum seekers seek refuge here when they have crossed on average of 17 other countries that are regarded as safe havens to get here.could it be the climate or the British tradition or maybe they love the royal family? I don't think so, it could be because Britain is a soft touch with plenty of benefits from the minuet they touch our soil.

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juanbbien says...
3:40pm Mon 2 Jul 12

SilverFox424 wrote:
The bishop could let a few asylum seekers stay with him in his palatial home, that would be very Christian and leading by example
Or incorporate some soup kitchens in the new multimillion pound cloister developments that him and his staff could supervise.

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madari says...
3:48pm Mon 2 Jul 12

Madari the snake charmer says:

Social engineering at its best!!

Keep up the good work,let em all in, we really need them!!

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Graham Hartley says...
3:58pm Mon 2 Jul 12

juanbbien wrote:
SilverFox424 wrote:
The bishop could let a few asylum seekers stay with him in his palatial home, that would be very Christian and leading by example
Or incorporate some soup kitchens in the new multimillion pound cloister developments that him and his staff could supervise.
Fine ideas, both; but they are not part of God's plan as divined by His representatives in Blackburn else they would already be effected.

Do we expect that the Bishop 'spoke out' to great effect? And if other local faith leaders 'speak out' will the effect be cumulative, or will the influence of faith groups reduce because they cannot agree which God(s) is/are running this merry show?

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phillip14 says...
4:43pm Mon 2 Jul 12

If the Bishop is so concerned about them with his buddy Jack Straw let them put them up in there big fancy houses there must be room for them in Blackburn Cathedral get some camp beds in the aisle how do they get here in the first place if they get caught they say OH i have lost my passport and the police can do nothing about them let them go and say you must report every week to a centre and they go to another town and milk the system dry

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burner says...
4:47pm Mon 2 Jul 12

Mr Bishop's ONLY concern should be whether this lot are Jews, Buddhists, Muslims or Catholics or whatever . . . if they are not Anglicans, then they are sod all to do with him!

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i know alot says...
5:04pm Mon 2 Jul 12

BEHAVE YOU LOT....Blackburn has been a dumping ground for years with Jack and his army..I went through Blackburn the other week and nearly SH*T myself...I thought i was in Bradford...A few more wont make much difference....Lets face it the PR*CKS that run this country just dont know how to say NO.

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Hippocroccapig says...
5:13pm Mon 2 Jul 12

So let me get this straight - In 2000 when Jack Straw was Home Secretary he AGREED to cap the numbers at 700 for Blackburn and the then government thought that this would be enough.
This cap has never been reached and current levels are at just half that - 350. What Straw is now saying is that 700 is too much and should be reduced? If that is the case why did he agree to the 700 cap in ther first place when he was in government?

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Info-warrior says...
5:23pm Mon 2 Jul 12

The ones who make the decision to allow the refugee's to swarm in to our neighbourhood aren't the one's who will have them living nextdoor. They're not the ones who are going to get their throats cut during the night or even worse bummed in their sleep. I've read the stories coming out of their countries and believe me its not late night literature to help you sleep. Its quite horrific wants gonig on in the likes of Somalia but the £175million plus they are paying SERCO to resettle them in the North of England would be much better spent sorting out the problems in Somalia and likes rather than fetching them to the UK. There is limtied resources to go round as it is. Are they really importing refugees from abroad to occupy the properties they're buying up in the private market..? Or as Lee Hazeldean got it on the nail about the olympics.? He claims that there is going to be a false flag at the games and the refugees are indeed Londoners escaping a dirty bomb attack. Makes you wonder when you do a little research in to SERCO and you find out that they are owned by G4S. G4S have the contract for security during the games. Check out INFOWARS.COM for the Lee Hazeldean interview. All quite disturbing and all fitting in to place..If he's right hold on tight we're in for a bumpy ride.


INFOWARS.COM INFOWARS.COM

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BritainfortheBritish says...
5:27pm Mon 2 Jul 12

The answer is not to send them to blackburn but to deport them .We are full and skint and the majority of the country do not want them .

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dougsie says...
5:37pm Mon 2 Jul 12

the bishop has concerns well hes not the only one. this town is full of asylum seekers just have a walk down king street its a haven for every vile nationality that this country sends us.

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doleboytrotter says...
8:21pm Mon 2 Jul 12

Check this one out - I like foreign people and I like them here, and I particularly like it when they get in your nasty xenophobic little Englander faces..

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UKIP-Ron says...
8:32pm Mon 2 Jul 12

mr straw has a short memory, was iyt not his goverment / party that has allowed in 500.000 every year,( true figures just published which was hidden by the labour party all these years.)
sounds like propergander from straw with an eye on the general election in next few years.. trouble is most in blackburn will believe him.
Black-burn is now living up to its name.

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Black Car Guy. says...
9:30pm Mon 2 Jul 12

berniep wrote:
When is it going to be questioned as to why the asylum seekers seek refuge here when they have crossed on average of 17 other countries that are regarded as safe havens to get here.could it be the climate or the British tradition or maybe they love the royal family? I don't think so, it could be because Britain is a soft touch with plenty of benefits from the minuet they touch our soil.
Other countries do not want them. England wants more people to bleed them dry and make the crime rate go up.

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i know alot says...
9:59pm Mon 2 Jul 12

doleboytrotter wrote:
Check this one out - I like foreign people and I like them here, and I particularly like it when they get in your nasty xenophobic little Englander faces..
told you what your like from Blackburn.Ya come over here and show no respect what so ever...AR*EHOLES

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Malthus says...
10:14pm Mon 2 Jul 12

There is no way that I feel that Blackburn and Darwen should have to accept these "asylum seekers". However, I am surprised by the Bishop's stance. Didn't someone once say "suffer the children to come unto me"?

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nu-b.a.c. says...
7:38am Tue 3 Jul 12

It is the individual people who are suffering in this debate as they are being used as pawns in a political charade.

National politicians are 'in fighting' - labour made the decisions re: numbers in the
first place and now are taking a 'pop' at the conservatives for putting changes in place. Local councilors too - who support part of the present government - are getting in on the act by saying in the news that SERCO need sorting out but what do they say to SERCO when they meet or speak privately with them?

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nu-b.a.c. says...
9:11am Tue 3 Jul 12

Black Car Guy. wrote:
berniep wrote:
When is it going to be questioned as to why the asylum seekers seek refuge here when they have crossed on average of 17 other countries that are regarded as safe havens to get here.could it be the climate or the British tradition or maybe they love the royal family? I don't think so, it could be because Britain is a soft touch with plenty of benefits from the minuet they touch our soil.
Other countries do not want them. England wants more people to bleed them dry and make the crime rate go up.
More often than not these people do not have a choice as to where they end up. They simply want to get away from persecution - the agents who arrange the removal from their countries are the ones who decide where they go. Some have requested and expected to get to other countries and are amazed when they end up in the UK.

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northwesterly says...
8:55pm Tue 3 Jul 12

How can Blackburn possibly be expected to take in more asylum seekers? We have people born and bred here that are living on the streets, the number of young people already exceeds the number of jobs available. Surely at some stage these are the people that need to be catered for not people who are coming in to live on benefits and take up housing and jobs !!!

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kozzy09 says...
11:04pm Tue 3 Jul 12

Blackburn/Bradford/L
uton/London/Birmingh
am = The future face of England.

What is happening to this country is marxist social engineering and the cultural and racial genocide of the white british race. Nothing less.

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