Ethnic Minority Liberal Democrats and LD4SOS have been working together on a motion to conference condemning these offensive and racist vans. There will be a ballot to decide which two emergency motions are taken, so we hope all those going to conference will make this one a number one on the ballot paper. We need a very strong, loud and clear message to go to the Home Office from Lib Dems, and predict it will have 100% support if it is debated!
The text of the motion is:
Emergency Motion: Home Office Poster Vans and Attitude and Approach to Migrant Communities
In July 2013 Home Office poster vans bearing the message In the UK illegally? Go Home or Face Arrest were deployed in six London Boroughs as part of a pilot scheme.
The Advertising Standards Authority is currently investigating the campaign after receiving a large number of complaints.
Conference believes that: Immigrants to the UK are largely the result of Britain s history, providing an economic benefit to this country and enriching our culture and diversity. The Government can encourage voluntary returns of those with no legal status who have no alternative in a more collaborative way than forced removals and divisive campaigns.
The Home Office poster van advertisements are offensive and irresponsible. They risk inciting and exacerbating racial hatred and tensions, especially in multicultural communities.
The poster van campaign is an insensitive and ineffective way of dealing with illegal immigration and is unlikely to encourage voluntary returns. Resources and effort should be directed at detecting unscrupulous employers who exploit and provide refuge to illegal immigrants.
The condemnation of the Poster Vans by the Party Leader, President and senior Parliamentarians.
1. Not to repeat or roll out more widely the initial pilot.
2. To work with community groups, local authorities and NGOs to encourage voluntary returns in a more effective, liberal, sympathetic and humane manner.
3. To take immediate and decisive action against those encouraging people to come to the UK illegally.