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To see how far we have come and, spoiler, it is not far at all in the way we talk about refugees, one only has to play a fun game of: who said it, Tory leader or Edwardian priest?

You have got a swarm of people coming across the Mediterranean, seeking a better life, wanting to come to Britain People are really rather afraid that this country might be swamped by people with a different culture In some districts every vestige of comfort had been absolutely wiped out, the foreigners coming in like an army of locusts

The first, of course, was David Camerons controversial comment to ITV News at the height of the refugee crisis in July 2015 (comments from which even Nigel Farage attempted to distance himself). The second isMargaret Thatcher speaking in 1978. The third is courtesy ofCosmo Gordon Lang, the bishop of Stepney, writing about the Jewish diaspora in 1902.

Langs choice of (slightly mixed) metaphors army and locusts continue to be the most common way refugees are written about today: either asmilitary invasion (theNew York Timescarried a picture caption, for example, that described Greek authorities using tear gas, batons, stun grenades and rubber bullets to repel the hordes, and last year the Home Secretary, Priti Patel, appointed a Clandestine Channel Threat Commander to tackle crossings); or as a natural force a flood, an influx, a tsunami, a swarm. Both are, obviously, negative images, but they are problematic for different reasons. The first suggests not only that migration happens in some strategised, organised way, but that refugees have a choice about leaving; it is active and deliberate. The second suggests that migration is uncontrollable; it removes the agency of governments to do anything about it for good or ill.

[See also: How much does the UK government really care about fixing the migrant crisis?]

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The word migrant (often used interchangeably with immigrant, though they mean subtly different things) encompasses refugees, but also those who leave their countries of birth for other reasons, such as economic opportunities or education. Refugees, by contrast, are those who flee because of war, persecution or natural disaster. The former indicates choice, which those risking their lives to cross the English Channel in desperation do not have. Moreover, both migrant and immigrant are examples of nominalisation, or nouns that are formed from verbs. This shift implies identity rather than action; people who migrate are no longer people, but migrants.

Such language conveniently helps shift the responsibility from governments, as it implies that citizens are moving of their own volition, rather than because the circumstances in their home countries leave them no alternative. Using the word refugee, by contrast, acknowledges and calls out conflict, human rights abuses and corruption.

The word illegal is often found alongside immigrant, but this is also wrong as was Boris Johnsons assertion last yearthat crossing the Channel is always criminal, much as he might like it to be. For a start, a person cannot be illegal, even if their actions are. For refugees, the action of crossing borders is not illegal: the 1951 Refugee Convention affords them a legal status and states that host governments are responsible for their protection.

[See also: Twenty-seven people have drowned in the English Channel. This is a predictable and ongoing tragedy]

There is also something distinctly racist about the double standards with which we apply the word migrant. Consider, for example, theTelegraphheadline: Angela Merkel says nein to Theresa Mays calls for early deal on rights of EU migrants and British ex-pats. When British people migrate (and they do in 2019 there were994,000 British nationalsliving in other EU countries alone), they are described as expats, but those who seek refuge or a better life in Britain are migrants. The word expat, an abbreviation of expatriate, originates in the Latin ex meaning out of and patria meaning country or homeland. An expat is literally anyone who has temporarily or permanently left the place they were born, regardless of ethnicity or class. And yet those moving from Africa or Asia are classified as immigrants.

These observations are not academic: the way we talk about the refugee crisis matters. There is a clear link between humanising language and empathy. A study by the University of Sheffield found that after the image of Alan Kurdi, a three-year-old Syrian boy, lying dead on a beach went viral in 2015, refugee became more commonly used on social media than migrant. And it is surely no coincidence that the greatly exaggerated language in the media and politicians speeches is mirrored by a greatly exaggerated public belief of the scale of the problem. Most Britonsoverestimatethe number of non-British nationals in the UK, believing that around a third of the population are migrants; the real figure is more like14 per cent.

We should take care to avoid the easy metaphors of war or disaster, the stigmatising (and incorrect) descriptor illegal, and the generic use of migrant when what we really mean is refugee. Better yet, call them people.

[See also: Leader: A fractured continent]

Read more:
Why the language we use to talk about the refugee crisis matters - New Statesman

MINSK, 26 November (BelTA) Belarus' parliamentary delegation headed by Chairwoman of the Council of the Republic Natalya Kochanova took part in the 53rd plenary session of the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS IPA), BelTA has learned.

The delegation included Sergei Sivets, a member of the Presidium of the Council of the Republic, Feliks Yashkov, a member of the Council of the Republic, and Valentin Semenyako, a member of the House of Representatives.

The MPs adopted a joint statement of the CIS IPA, the IOM Vienna Regional Office and the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe "On legislative measures to ensure labor migration during the pandemic", which proposes universal measures and guarantees for migrant workers in the field of social protection and health.

"The topic of our joint statement is extremely important and relevant. People of different ethnicities and faiths live in peace and harmony in Belarus. But we could have never imagined that we would face a serious migrant situation on the border of Belarus with the European Union, which could become explosive. Our country is wrongly accused of creating a migrant crisis. We are barraged with fake stories, lies and misinformation. Belarus is not the cause and source of this problem," Natalya Kochanova said.

The speaker noted that people are fleeing the Middle Eastern countries, war and poverty and are making their way to the European Union that promised them a better future.

Citizens of Belarus, senators, MPs, public associations are outraged by the prejudiced attitude towards Belarus on the part of European countries. We have repeatedly appealed to all European organizations, to fellow parliamentarians. Yet, unfortunately, to be honest, they do not really hear us. Moreover, with great concern we learned about the inclusion in the tentative agenda of the 143rd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union that is kicking off in Madrid today, an emergency item about suppression of trafficking in persons, ending human rights violations and work towards free and fair elections in Belarus. This item was sponsored by the delegations of Germany, Latvia, the Netherlands and Poland. How cynical it is that meanwhile Poland is using force against peaceful refugees, dousing them with water cannons, throwing tear gas, stun grenades and chemicals, Natalya Kochanova said.

The Investigative Committee of Belarus opened a criminal case under the article Crime against Security of Humankind. A total of 132 victims were identified, including women and children. People were at the border in inhuman conditions, freezing and starving. On the instructions of the president of Belarus, we created satisfactory living conditions for them. Special attention is paid to the health of people, Natalya Kochanova said.

Our long-suffering country that lost every third resident during the Great Patriotic War knows the price of peace and calm. We are not ready for a war on our territory started through someone else's fault. Yet, we cannot leave people in dire straits, and we will continue to support these disadvantaged refugees using our own resources, the chairperson of the Council of Republic added.

It is very important that the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly raises issues related to migrants, the legal regulation of their status and activities in our countries and other states. This work of all the CIS bodies, including our parliamentary organization, deserves support and gratitude. On part of the Interparliamentary Assembly we have an opportunity to present our position to the world community and expect to be heard, she said.

The participants of the meeting also considered the model laws On Equal Access to Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of HIV Infection in the CIS Countries, On Organ Donation and On Evaluation Activity.

Member of the Council of the Republic Feliks Yashkov presented documents on defense and security. They included the recommendations on the integration of norms of the international humanitarian law into the directive documents of the armed forces, the system of military professional education and training of troops (forces) of the CIS member states and also the model assessment methodology for initiatives in the regulation of the circulation of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and their precursors.

The new wording of the Provision on the IPA Standing Commissions - one of the main documents regulating the activities of the IPA CIS and its bodies - was approved at the meeting. Sergei Sivets, a member of the Presidium of the Council of the Republic, gave a speech on the issue. Belarus made substantive proposals on the necessity to fix the algorithm of leadership distribution in standing commissions among the parliaments and introduce equal representation of deputy chairpersons of standing commissions. The proposals were taken into account.

More:
Kochanova: Belarus is wrongly accused of creating migrant crisis - Belarus News (BelTA)

Sergei Rachkov. File phtoo

MINSK, 26 November (BelTA) - The EU needs to look for a solution to the situation on the border in cooperation with Belarus, Chairman of the Standing Commission on International Affairs and National Security of the Council of the Republic Sergei Rachkov told the media, BelTA has learned.

"A political solution is needed. In the telephone conversation with Germany's Acting Chancellor Angela Merkel, the Belarusian president proposed a certain algorithm of actions. A solution must be found in any case. And, as they say in diplomacy, the ball is in the court of the European Union. Our European partners should act, rather than talk about new sanctions against the Republic of Belarus that fully complies with international, humanitarian law, provides assistance to disadvantaged people who have been forced to seek shelter in another country," Sergei Rachkov said.

The senator noted that many of those, who are now stranded on the Belarusian-Polish border, have families in the EU. These people seek to reunite their families.

"The European Union needs to look for a solution in cooperation with the Belarusian head of state," Sergei Rachkov said.

Continued here:
Senator: EU needs to look for solution to migrant crisis in cooperation with Belarus - Belarus News (BelTA)

Katya Adler suggested clashes among European Union member states can be expected as the issue of migration and border protection across the Schengen Area is reignited. France has been clashing with the United Kingdom over the increasing number of crossings from Calais into the UK, which ended in tragedy for 27 people this week. And Poland has been clamouring for support from Brussels as Belarus puts pressure on its borders by refusing to control the influx of migrants seeking to cross into EU territory.

Speaking of Emmanuel Macron on Newscast, Ms Adler said: "He has asked help from the European Union because for him it is as much a European problem as it is an issue with the United Kingdom.

"And of course you know, we've seen what's known as irregular migration basically these awful dinghies in different parts of the edges the external borders of Europe."

The EU is not new to the pressure of mass immigration and some countries have been coping with large numbers of asylum seekers, refugees and economic migrants since well before 2015.

But over the past few months, with growing economic troubles in areas of the Middle East, northern and central Africa as well the ongoing conflicts in Yemen and Syria have contributed to an increasing number of people seeking better life opportunities in Europe.

Just In:Macron rejects Boris' 'unacceptable' letter: Patel uninvited from migrant talk visit

The BBC's Europe Editor continued: "Remember the migrant crisis of 2015, well, that affected southern member states.

"We had Poland recently asking for help from the EU with its border with Belarus and here you have the problem in Calais.

"And something else that President Macron has said is, 'look these asylum seekers and others who are here in Calais and want to get the UK, they don't just magically appear here.'

"They have to make their way through other European Union countries in order to get here."

READ MORE: 'NO!' Sturgeon erupts as she's confronted with horror independence poll by Kuenssberg

Ms Adler added: "As familiar as the irregular migration is for Brussells, it's just as familiar the complete inability amongst the member states to agree on what to do about it."

"So for example you've got an incoming Government in Germany, they want to make legal migration a lot easier, to deter people from risking their lives in those cold windy waters right now.

"Whereas for countries like Hungary and others in central Europe and Eastern Europe they say, no way!"

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And attempts from the UK to reach an agreement with France on how to best tackle Channel crossings took a step back after Prime Minister Boris Johnson openly Tweeted his private letter to President Macron asking the French to take back migrants who have arrived in Britain.

Following the release of the letter, the French pulled out of their meeting with Home Secretary Priti Patel scheduled for this weekend. .

The meeting was expected to focus on the possibility of joint border patrols in France, combining the UK and French officers together to tackle smugglers assisting migrants with their dangerous crossing into the UK

The French interior minister Gerald Darmanin said Ms Patel "was no longer welcome".

Read this article:
BBC's Adler warns EU to spiral into new crisis over 'complete inability' to act together - Daily Express

A

sylum seekers will have to obey strict rules in new centres or face their claims being rejected under new plans advocated by Priti Patel reports have suggested.

The Daily Telegraph reported that the Home Secretary had been impressed with centres being built in Greece where migrants were put under strict curfews and faced routine checks on their movements.

And the newspaper reported Ms Patel had praised the very different approach taken by Greece in the face of the migrant crisis, including the digitisation of the asylum process in order to speed it up and save on paperwork.

A UK government source was quoted by The Telegraph as saying that if migrants breached the rules, their asylum claim could be impacted.

But it comes as the Times reported Boris Johnson had drafted in Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Steve Barclay to oversee the rising number of migrants arriving on Britains shores.

The Times reported that the PM was exasperated with the issue following a number of strategies to stem the flow.

Some previously reported plans including the use giant wave machines to prevent migrant crossings, nets to snare boat propellers, and floating walls in the sea, were never considered, Dan OMahoney, the Home Offices Clandestine Channel Threat Commander, told the Home Affairs Select Committee earlier this week, adding on the wave machine idea: I think its a bizarre idea.

And he described a number of the ideas that made their way into the headlines as fanciful.

But the move to bring in Mr Barclay could be seen as an admission that the Home Secretary has not managed to tackle the issue.

It comes after Sir Keir Starmer accused Ms Patel of failing to deliver on promises to stem the flow of illegal migrants crossing the Channel.

The Labour leader said Ms Patel has not secured strong enough agreements with the French government to prevent migrants making the dangerous sea journey.

He said the Home Secretary repeatedly used strong language to say how she would tackle the problem, but delivered absolutely nothing.

His attack came as Ms Patel blamed the EUs open borders established by the Schengen Agreement for failing to check the movement of people through the bloc.

Speaking to reporters during a visit to Washington, she said she was constantly pressing the French on the issue, but that they were overwhelmed.

Lets not forget that the real problem on illegal migration flows is the EU has no border protections whatsoever Schengen open borders, she was quoted as saying.

More than 24,700 people have arrived in the UK so far this year after making the Channel crossing in small boats almost three times the number there were in 2020.

This includes at least 1,247 who arrived since Monday, according to data compiled by the PA news agency. This number is set to rise as the exact figure for Tuesday is still being finalised by the Home Office.

It is thought at least 10 migrants have died in the last few weeks while trying to make the dangerous crossing.

It comes as campaigners threatened the Home Secretary with legal action over so-called pushbacks after reports she had sanctioned the tactics to turn migrants around back towards France at sea.

Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron is reported to have said the British oscillate between partnership and provocation when discussing the migrant crisis in an interview with Lille-based newspaper la Voix du Nord, adding: We need to further strengthen collaboration.

Officials have described how violence levelled at French police has intensified recently, highlighting incidents where an officer had their ear bitten off, and another where canisters of CS gas had to be used to disperse a group of migrants.

Downing Street said the Government was continuing to work extremely closely with the French authorities on the issue, but that the problem required a co-ordinated response from countries across Europe.

We are facing a global migration crisis choreographed by organised crime groups who put people on these boats to make these incredibly dangerous crossings, a No 10 spokesman said.

This is an urgent issue for the whole of Europe, requiring incredibly close working together with our neighbours France, Belgium and the Netherlands as well as our friends across the continent. It is a shared problem so we need shared solutions.

Sir Keir said the Government also had only itself to blame for the failings in Britains busted asylum system.

Ms Patel complained earlier this week that a dysfunctional system had allowed Liverpool bomber Emad Al Swealmeen to remain in the UK despite reportedly having had an asylum application rejected in 2015.

Sir Keir said: My jaw dropped when I heard the Home Secretary say that the problem is that the asylum system is busted.

This Government has been in power for 11 years. If the asylum system is busted it is busted under their watch.

Asylum applications used to be dealt with in about six months many years ago. It now takes years. All of us MPs have constituents who have been waiting two years or more for their case even to be looked at.

So if the asylum system is busted the question is who busted it and the answer is the Government.

Meanwhile, the Albanian ambassador to Britain flatly denied reports his country has been in discussions with the Government about hosting a processing centre for migrants who arrive in the UK.

Qirjako Qirko told LBC radio that there had been zero talks between the two countries on the issue.

Its absolutely fake news because as my prime minister stated yesterday the foreign minister also tweeted yesterday that doesnt exist, any negotiations between Albania and the UK regarding these processing centres, he said.

It will not be changed because my prime minister was crystal clear yesterday when he said that Albania will never be a processing centre for illegal immigrants.

More:
Fresh plan to tackle migrants crisis takes inspiration from Greece reports - Evening Standard