Around 4000 people turned out with a massive presence of Bolivian and Ecuadorian groups and Justice For Cleaners. Some groups has called for their activists to carry a union jack in some form and many followed suit.
It was intended as a symbol for the groups’ common goal of legalising the position of many migrants who are either held in limbo with none or only restricted work permits.
The group “Strangers to Citizens” campaign for realistic negotiations to lift migrants in limbo out of their devastating and vulnerable legal and social life conditions. Amongst other points they are making, they bring up the ever effective cost-value equation, were deportation costs £11.000 per deportee and how our government could never afford that, apart from being a logistical challenge. Other arguments stress the British economies’ dependency on black markets, unregulated workers and people who are willing to work for less than minimal wage, calling for an end of the hypocrisy and for more and legally guaranteed rights for migrant workers.
One suggestion is to give allow for two-year work permits and then, following references i.e. by employers, a chance to become a legal citizen. A white paper is in the post it seems, anyone interested should not miss the Ideas and Planning Day for Regularisation (Saturday, 19th May, 11am-4pm, South Bank University, 103 Borough Road. Elephant and Castle Tube).

The march ended in speeches and talks by representatives of the groups. A speaker of one of the Muslim groups assured us that the rain was to be seen as a blessing. People were wet, but still held out in surprisingly large numbers, spirits were high and marchers ended up having a sing-along of “One Love” before running off to get a change of clothes and hopefully towards a change of law very soon.

 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/04/368797.html
 http://noborderslondon.blogspot.com/
 http://www.strangersintocitizens.org.uk/supporters.html