Free driving lessons for asylum seekers
N3ws | 30.08.2002 20:00
Hundreds of refugees are to get driving lessons subsidised by the taxpayer because they are breaking the law.
The £50k scheme launched in Coventry has caused outrage among angry residents, but organisers said it would cut crime and boost road safety.
The £50k scheme launched in Coventry has caused outrage among angry residents, but organisers said it would cut crime and boost road safety.
ASYLUM SEEKERS GET FREE DRIVING LESSONS
(and taxpayers foot £50k bill.)
Hundreds of refugees are to get driving lessons subsidised by the taxpayer because they are breaking the law.
The £50k scheme launched in Coventry has caused outrage among angry residents, but organisers said it would cut crime and boost road safety.
The 18 month scheme will also teach fefugees about drivers' legal obligations and car maintenance.
The Coventry refugee centre , which initiated the scheme, said large numbers of refugees and asylum seekers in the deprived Hillfield area were driving illegally without a licence.
"The project is an educational and practical response. The driving lessons are just a small part," said Penny Walker of the refugee centre. She was unsure what people will have to pay for the driving lessons because the project is still at an early stage.
The funding comes from the Govt's neighbourhood renewal fund, given to poor areas by local councils. Coventry is home to about 5,500 refugees and asylum seekers, up to 2000 of whom will benefit in some way from the driving project.
Sue Lennox, 47, a dental nurse said, "They should be sent to court like everybody else.
The public should be informed of where the money is coming from and what its being spent on."
Mr.John Reece, who owns the Alderman Green school of motoring, said, "I don't think we should subsidise them."
But a Coventry city council spokeswoman said: "Refugees don't know about the laws in Britain, car tax, or MOTs.
"The project is about crime prevention and community safety. Once they have been given the right to live here we have to treat them as nationals under international law."
A west midlands police spokeswoman said asylum seekers would be arrested if they drove without a licence or insurance.
"We are not aware of this. If anyone is found driving illegally they will be arrested." She said.
Source: Daily Express, 30/8/02
Comment: TOO BLOODY RIDICULOUS TO COMMENT ON!!
(and taxpayers foot £50k bill.)
Hundreds of refugees are to get driving lessons subsidised by the taxpayer because they are breaking the law.
The £50k scheme launched in Coventry has caused outrage among angry residents, but organisers said it would cut crime and boost road safety.
The 18 month scheme will also teach fefugees about drivers' legal obligations and car maintenance.
The Coventry refugee centre , which initiated the scheme, said large numbers of refugees and asylum seekers in the deprived Hillfield area were driving illegally without a licence.
"The project is an educational and practical response. The driving lessons are just a small part," said Penny Walker of the refugee centre. She was unsure what people will have to pay for the driving lessons because the project is still at an early stage.
The funding comes from the Govt's neighbourhood renewal fund, given to poor areas by local councils. Coventry is home to about 5,500 refugees and asylum seekers, up to 2000 of whom will benefit in some way from the driving project.
Sue Lennox, 47, a dental nurse said, "They should be sent to court like everybody else.
The public should be informed of where the money is coming from and what its being spent on."
Mr.John Reece, who owns the Alderman Green school of motoring, said, "I don't think we should subsidise them."
But a Coventry city council spokeswoman said: "Refugees don't know about the laws in Britain, car tax, or MOTs.
"The project is about crime prevention and community safety. Once they have been given the right to live here we have to treat them as nationals under international law."
A west midlands police spokeswoman said asylum seekers would be arrested if they drove without a licence or insurance.
"We are not aware of this. If anyone is found driving illegally they will be arrested." She said.
Source: Daily Express, 30/8/02
Comment: TOO BLOODY RIDICULOUS TO COMMENT ON!!
N3ws
Comments
Hide the following 32 comments
I agree
30.08.2002 21:12
British involvement in the military strike on Afghanistan cost over £100 million A DAY ...
... and who paid for it? ...
... yes, that's right numb-nuts, you did!
Why aren't you jumping up and down about that?
mantrastic
load of oul snobby bollix more like it
30.08.2002 21:15
as an ex nazi, i know what bullshit i was served, i was brainwashed with, the fine upstanding british race being corrupted by evil white slaver foreigners, jews and blacks, i was always taught blacks were evil corrupt pimps, who would molest children, UNTRUE, TRUTH IS IT IS WHITE ARYAN WANKERS WHO EMBRACE AND PROTECT PERVERTS, CHILD MOLESTERS AND SEX OFFENDERS, examples are David Norris and Neil Acourt, who feel that they would rather share a cell with dirty paedophiles/sex offenders/wimpy touts than innocent blacks. and it is better that left/anarchist fight rightwingneonazis than each other.
truth is that it is the likes of BNP BUMCHUM Nick griffin who is wasting taxpayers money, taxpayers money is being wasted keeping PAEDOPHILE pals david norris and neil acourt in belmarsh prison VPU.
babsdebrawl
ITS THE LEAST WE CAN DO for them
30.08.2002 21:29
agnes sugar
And
30.08.2002 21:38
PISS OFF, and take yer Express stories with ya, ya thick twat!
mantrastic
Abuse
30.08.2002 22:42
My opinion on the article... its better they get these lessons then them just breaking the law and driving without any training and the possibility of them ending up killing someone by dangerous driving. Thou I do have a couple on contentious issues to explore.
1... IF these assylum seekers are driving, how can they afford cars and fuel? Surely they should be given bus passes for the local area in which they reside.
2... not being allowed to work, why do they need a car? public transport is certainly 'sufficient' to send their kids to school and visit the supermarket / any asylum hearings.
3... Committing crime such as car theft or driving without tax or insurance etc should be sufficient grounds to deny them assylum on the basis of criminal intent.
(once the free localised public transport is introduced).
mike
e-mail:
mjpann@essex.ac.uk
Not you again!
30.08.2002 22:56
Deal with it, or alternatively, you could always go home to your mother!
mantrastic
Why not discuss the 'issues' i addressed
30.08.2002 23:08
I am beginning to thing the original posts on here, like this 'express' post... are being posted by a die hard RED. So that you lot can then scream 'oooooooo look what bnp trolls are posting' thus creating for yourself a ficticious enemy to attack. When in reality what you should be doing is engaging in intelligent debate and looking for genuine solutions to societies problems, not just mouthing off with abuse and demonstrating your distinct lack of abstract thought....
Commments like, ' babsdebrawl's ' , are just incoherent gibberish.
Mike
e-mail:
mjpann@essex.ac.uk
Yeah
30.08.2002 23:36
Wait, wait, I can already see where this is going. Been there, and don't fancy going there again frankly - life's too short.
To that end then, I'm off to engage my cat in a deep, philosophical, cutting-edge discourse on the underlying meaningfulness of abstract polemics, or some such "incoherent gibberish" (heh heh heh).
Bye!
mantrastic
hoho patronising sarcasm.... aren't we witty
30.08.2002 23:46
When you actually respond to my idea of 'free public transport' and the associated issues I might upgrade you from the 'obstructive troll' to ' worthy of debating with' list.
mike
e-mail:
mjpann@essex.ac.uk
hoho patronising sarcasm.... aren't we witty
30.08.2002 23:48
When you actually respond to my idea of 'free public transport' and the associated issues I might upgrade you from the 'obstructive troll' to ' worthy of debating with' list.
mike
e-mail:
mjpann@essex.ac.uk
You have a "worthy of debating with list"?
31.08.2002 00:03
mantrastic
idiocy
31.08.2002 00:12
Mike
e-mail:
mjpann@essex.ac.uk
Idiocy? Bloody muppet?
31.08.2002 00:26
As for debate, well... We have a govt that's squandering billions of pounds on insane warmongering and all you can drone on about is free transport. And YOU STILL haven't had a single word to say about how refugees are created by war...
Definitely - a dazzling career with New Labour beckons methinks, all you need is the power suit.
By the way, my cat wants to know your take on cointelpro?
mantrastic
cointelpro
31.08.2002 00:37
Mike
e-mail:
mjpann@essex.ac.uk
URL
31.08.2002 00:49
Should answer any questions you have.
as far as I am concerned... gathering intelligence on your citizens is a acceptable infringment of our personal freedoms we should gladly accept. Afterall its done with the national security and wellbeing of the nation and its citizens in general at heart.
You need to weed out the criminal subversives and those that would attempt to remove democratic government by means of violence or sedition.
mike
e-mail:
as above
day of the rope
31.08.2002 00:59
WLP
My cat says:
31.08.2002 03:29
AND (the silence is deafening) YOU STILL HAVEN'T SAID ANYTHING - NOT A SINGLE WORD - ABOUT THE CONNECTION BETWEEN WAR AND REFUGEES! Which is kind of related to this thread...
Who did you say is ducking issues here again?
Or shall we go back to bus passes? ha ha
mantrastic
Thank you and goodbye...
31.08.2002 04:27
As usual Mikey, it's been thoroughly underwhelming ... ah well, at least you're consistent (heh heh).
ps Cat says: 'fuck off ya wee toadie'.
mantrastic
Amusing
31.08.2002 09:22
Why are you talking to your cat? It really doesnt have any opinions on anything... it's probably dreaming of eating mice... not considering realistic ways to deal with assylum issues.
mike@essex.ac.uk
e-mail:
mjpann@essex.ac.uk
you have no issues just racist ignorance
31.08.2002 10:10
bernadette mary
Mike the idiot
31.08.2002 10:25
Antidote
What?
31.08.2002 12:02
How is it racist to say that you think that assylum seekers should be given free public transport passes but not given cars and free driving lessons at tax payers expense... i mean ffs we dont give free driving lessons to our own citizens do we, and i'm sure theres many unemployed british citizens, regardless of race, who would love to have free driving lessons and thus be more 'employable'. The system is just becoming a big farce. Paying for people to have driving lessons that arent allowed to work here and effectively have no need of a motor car. what next? free private health care for assylum seekers... ooooo we've gone their already.
As for your veiled threats antidote, if you really think attempting to intimidate someone with the veiled threat of violence is a good thing or in fact is likely to discourage them from having opinions on issues, then seriously, i'd go away and re evaluate what you stand for and whree you stand politically. You clearly dont have any respect for democracy and freedom of speech.
I see it as typical that its always the ultra left that starts the threatening behaviour and attempts at intimidation. I think its bizarre that you lot hide behind pseudonyms.
mike
e-mail:
mjpann@essex.ac.uk
Mike Pann-- to be watched
31.08.2002 12:34
interesting title of "External Relations Staff"
He was a former law student there-- elected representative for his department to the Essex Student Union in 1999. It would be interesting to know what kind of platform he ran on.
What we know for sure is that he's fairly mediocre intellectually. Why?: (1) he wouldnt have gone to Essex for law had he gotten in to somewhere more prestigious; (2) he tried his luck as a union hack (always a bad sign); (3) if he was any good in his law degree (I found no evidence that he has actually graduated) he would either be preparing as a solicitor or for the bar, and not at his current clerical job.
I'm guessing that he is a failure, the kind of second-rater who decides to apply for a job with the security services because frankly his abilities are not likely to win him many things in open competition. His definition of COINTELPRO was telling-- the interesting thing about a certain type of security person, like a certain kind of criminal, is that they just can't hold themselves back from hinting that "yeah, I'm one of the bad guys!". He wrote that the COINTELPRO programme involved the legitimate collection of intelligence on criminal subversion-- the fact of the matter is that it involved the framing of innocent people, the entrapment of others, possibly the murder and certainly the false imprisonment of some, and (as the website he kindly linked us to indicated) an entirely unproductive and illegal interference with the privacy of thousands of people.
Two-eyed Tim
LOL
31.08.2002 13:02
For past year I have been doing a masters degree and working as a political analyst.. as well as other things...
And before you attempt to 'profile' me... i actually chose Essex University as my primary choice, back in 1998. There being specific reasons unrelated to academia, why i wanted to come here. So commments about intellectual mediocraty are simply foolish. Further more Essex, coming 10th in the country for teaching overall and 7th for reaseach, and having the best politics and sociology courses in England, as well as Law in the top 10, isnt to be knocked.
I was a LAW rep on council. And a general rep and a representative of the board of the school of law. All these were run under an 'indepedant' platform.
IF I had your real name and email address from this university I could too pull up a few facts about you and then add some speculation and fabrications.
As for this 2) he tried his luck as a union hack (always a bad sign); - I've never engaged in any form of journalism for or on behalf of the Union.
Mike
e-mail:
mjpann@essex.ac.uk
wrong on so many levels
31.08.2002 13:19
1: I graduated in 2001
2: This year I have been doing a MSc and working as a political analyst (amongst other things)
3: I was working part time for the External relations department for THREE weeks as I need to clear some debt.
4: I had no intention of going for the BVC or LPC, but have the right qualifications and levels if I want to.
Essex was my first choice of university when i applied and me coming here has nothing to do with 'intellectual mediocraty'
5: i do not work for the intelligence services.
6: I held the positions of law rep and general rep and was a member of the board of the school of law.
These were all run under an 'independant' platform.
I didnt continue to run after my second year as I have a job that conflicts with me holding political office or any position that could be perceived as being a conflict of interest.
7: before you attempt to profile me, you could have asked me specific questions, you'll find i am more then willing to give you open answers.
mike
e-mail:
mjpann@essex.ac.uk
guessing game
31.08.2002 13:21
1: I graduated in 2001
2: This year I have been doing a MSc and working as a political analyst (amongst other things)
3: I was working part time for the External relations department for THREE weeks as I need to clear some debt.
4: I had no intention of going for the BVC or LPC, but have the right qualifications and levels if I want to.
Essex was my first choice of university when i applied and me coming here has nothing to do with 'intellectual mediocraty'
5: i do not work for the intelligence services.
6: I held the positions of law rep and general rep and was a member of the board of the school of law.
These were all run under an 'independant' platform.
I didnt continue to run after my second year as I have a job that conflicts with me holding political office or any position that could be perceived as being a conflict of interest.
7: before you attempt to profile me, you could have asked me specific questions, you'll find i am more then willing to give you open answers.
mike
e-mail:
mjpann@essex.ac.uk
relevance?
31.08.2002 13:40
mike
e-mail:
mjpann@essex.ac.uk
and the "honours degree in law"?
31.08.2002 15:19
One eyed Dan
you do need "assylum"
31.08.2002 16:04
one eyed jack
Good Address
31.08.2002 16:22
Watch
Spelling lesson
31.08.2002 16:34
Lawyers are thick
amusing spelling
01.09.2002 10:00
No, it was a clear typing error / spelling error. I wasnt making some play on the double S in the word asylum. ASS, etc.
Back to the original points thou...
Do you think that providing asylum seekers with free bus/rail passes for their local areas is a good idea?
I do. Its certainly a good alternative to the proposed driving lesson scheme.
What of the plan to give them free driving lessons? How does that play into the fact they dont have motor cars and not being able to work, not able to afford them?
Should the government BUY cars for asylum seekers... and if you genuinely think it should... how would you handle the public furore that would be likely to cause?
Furthermore, what of the argument, if we teach these people to drive and they can't afford and dont have access to cars, its going to encourage them to TWOC cars or buy very cheap, non road worthy cars, and drive them without tax and insurance... thus by teaching them to drive, you are encouraging further criminality...
I think plans like this will create a lot more problems then they ever solve. And a back to basics approach would be worth persuing... free public transport, not free driving lessons.
Again if you think that looking at an issue rationally makes me a nazi, then i suggest you look up the meaning of the word. Unless i have a temporal relocator.. i really cant be a member of the defunct 30's political party NASDAP can I?
And if you are making an analogy between my 'brand of political thought' and that of the nazi party, again, you clearly are very naive.
mike
e-mail:
mjpann@essex.ac.uk