May 24, 2003

Asylum seekers: a few facts and figures

Recently I wrote about propaganda in the press, and its effect on the public perception of asylum seekers. Daily 'campaigns' against asylum seekers in some of the press, combined with the use of inflammatory language by ministers and the police ('swamping','tidal wave'), have led to a completely distorted view of asylum seekers in the public eye.

The Independent yesterday published a few facts and figures about asylum seekers. A few statistics:


  • According to an opinion poll last year, the public believes that the UK hosts about 23 per cent of the world's refugees, although the real figure is 1.98%

  • The public overestimates by a factor of 10 the number of asylum-seekers in the UK

  • The public believes that the average asylum-seeker receives about £113 in benefits a week; in reality they receive about £36.54

  • During the controversy over the Sangatte camp in France, the media used 51 different terms to describe asylum-seekers, including 'parasites' and 'scroungers'.

It appears, however, that these so-called 'scroungers', actually make a net contribution to the economy:


  • In 1999-2000, immigrants contributed £31.2bn in taxes and consumed £28.8bn in benefits - a net contribution of about £2.5bn to the economy.

The Economist also has a survey about migration.

Posted by chadwick at May 24, 2003 11:34 AM
Comments

I am a student doing a dissertation on the representation of asylum seekers in the national press. As I am in the early stages is of great relief to finally find some impartial and balanced opinions on the subject instead of the right wing xenophobic views that we are subjected to daily in the trashy tabloids. Malcolm X said, 'If you're not careful the media will have you hating the people who are being oppressed, and loving the people who are doing the oppressing'. The docile masses need to be enlightened.

Posted by: Ben Hunter on October 13, 2003 11:54 AM

The Refugee Council in the UK have a great page on their web-site. It lists headlines from various tabloids (no suprises over which ones take a starring role) which give negative views of asylum seekers. They then give the facts that lie behind these headlines. There are some very revealing statistics.
It's ironic that in this modern day age, people reject any notion that the media influences their views, claiming 'you can't believe everything you read' and yet public opinion clearly reflects the racist diatribe that fills the red-tops.

Posted by: whiteharted on November 2, 2003 06:46 PM

Hi I am doing a comparasion study of the UK & The Netherlads on asylum seekers, do you have any information that I may find useful????

Thankyou for your help

WInston Nelson

winst@mlk1.freeserve.co.uk

Posted by: Winston Nelson on February 17, 2004 12:59 AM
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