Thursday, May 08, 2008

You Couldn't Make it Up: No 94

I don't understand all the fuss about foreign workers at airports not being security checked. There is an easy solution to hand. In fact I believe it's already Gordon Brown's policy. It's called British Jobs for British Workers. Ahem, just trying to help...

Seriously, doesn't this whole fiasco demonstrate the hollowness of that phrase? If it meant anything the Government would have taken steps to implement it at airports years ago.

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

I presume that EU rules would not allow the selection of British Nationals for these jobs?

Old BE said...

Doesn't it actually show that we need not be so paranoid about terrorism? If there really were so many "Al-Qaeda" operatives knocking about, couldn't one of them already got a job at Heathrow and blown it up?

Anonymous said...

Foreign airport workers are the tip of the iceberg. The government doesn't require criminal checks for foreigners who work in hospitals or schools or who are employed as 'carers' of vulnerable children and the elderly. If you think you're going to get Altzeimer's you should get out of London quick.

Anonymous said...

Iain, so you want to introduce a policy of only British people being allowed to work in UK airports?

(1) Slightly illiberal!
(2) Assumes that there are terrorists who are also British citizens.

Please tell me you don't support this.

Anonymous said...

Sob sisters for Brown!
Alice Miles in the Times yesterday and Mary Riddell in the Telegraph today have both written near-identical columns telling us that Brown is a good man, who cares about the poor and the dispossesed.
Not like that nasty man Cameron and the heartless Tories.

This will be the Labour line it seems: despite much evidence to the contrary, the prime Minister is thoughtful and kind. Useless, yes, but he means well.

Iain Dale said...

No, that's not what I said at all. I said that was the natural implication of Gordon Brown's stated aim of British Jobs for British Workers. The fact that he hasn't instituted it for airports shows the hollowness of the phrase.

Anonymous said...

The relevant group here is employees of foreign airlines who can qualify for work permits in the UK as a result of overseas posting. There is nothing amiss with this category of worker being employed here. Of course this doesnt escape the security vetting issue - which may not be as detailed in all countries - but it is not a "british jobs for british workers" issue anymore than it would be corollary of this if I worked overseas for my company.

Arthur said...

When coming from the lips of Gordon Brown "British jobs for British Workers" is indeed hollow and if nothing else it demonstrates how idiotic he is as if he was unaware of all that EU legislation he has agreed to.

But the concept is not quite as hollow in theory. If he wanted more jobs for British workers then he need only do three things: First, stop paying so many Brits not to work through welfare, second, renegotiate our relationship with the EU, and third, reduce the number of visas given out to foreigners allowing them to work here.

Anonymous said...

It would be, as DD said, reckless for the government not to check all airside foreign workers immediately.

Otherwise their whole "anti-terror" stance is exposed as a sham.

Don't suppose Dave will be making this point, though.ity

Anonymous said...

These EU regulations do not apply to French. Globalisation does not apply to French. Friends of the Earth and other nutters can't move French. Look at How slickly they run their airports, public transport and health services. They do not have so called pressure groups like we have who ruin progress like protesting against nuclear power. Brown and New labour will say look at their unemployment and economy. I say look at their pensioners.

We have 15,000 or about overseas doctors thanks to John Reid are here including the ones who tried to burn Glasgow Airport. They are underemployed or mostly unemployed because JohnReid in the height of health debate in 2005 imported them not listening to sane advice that we are already producing enough medical graduates. The result: our medical graduates have no chance of employment as long as these 15,000 are milling about competing with them. WE are losing our young medicos to Australia and New Zealand. Do you get this ridiculous situation in France? Many superfically blamed their on-line recruitment system, but the real problem is what to do with these 15,000 Indian and Pakistani doctors landed here a few years ago and do not want to go home?

The airport workers problem hence does not surprise me at all. That is Blair and Brown legacy for us. Plague on his and his cronies houses.

Anonymous said...

British jobs for British workers? Ah yes - so our fields would go unharvested, our lorries would be off the road and the beneftis queue still just as long....

Anonymous said...

When Cameron takes over, his government needs to plug a loop hole that lets in thousands of so called overseas students to universities, whose backgrounds are never checked.

Brown's university secretary, the bloke who is going to lose his Southampton seat when Cameron consigns Brown to history in the general election,and his side kick Bill Rammell are enthusiastic in getting overseas students to our universities. Our so called 'new universities' are busy recruiting these dubious aspirants a large majority of them circumvent the entry rules to this country. I know from my experience as a university academic and as external examiner to a few new universities that majority of these 'students' in new universities once in will have poor attendance and non-appearance at exams. I have not come across any university department who knows where these students are. They are in this country alright!
I have written to the vice chancellors of these new universities,Bill Rammell their guardian and to home office.
No one has bothered to answer me.

The potentail terrorists as airport workers can have supporters who are not vetted at all! they are university students for god sake!!

Anonymous said...

It's not the foreign workers they need to worry about at the airports. There are more than enough thieving scum of the homegrown variety in the ranks that need weeding out.

Anonymous said...

The interview last night on this subject on Newsnight between Paxo and Jim Fitzpatrick has to be seen to be believed.
At one point Jim Fitzpatrick after repeating the same mantra time and time again just puts his head into his hands in utter despair knowing he was getting a mauling with no way back from it.
Labour are becoming more loike a communist Politbureau with every day that passes.
On message or on your bike.(Unless you are Wendy Alexander)

Anonymous said...

I think this is another indication that like 'green' tax anti terror legislation is no more than an excuse for the government to do what it wants.
Control of and survalance on British citizens is what they want.

They have used anti terror laws to ban peaceful protest keep hecklers out of their conferance and to spy on innocent citizens to check that they have the right to sent their children to one of the few good schools left.
Let them have 42 days detention and how long will it be before people that the government takes against can be disapeared of the streets.

I certainly will not risk leaving my bin lid open.