Comments on: Assembly backs call for illegal immigrant amnesty

By: Jim bob

Jim bob — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 19:27:22 +0000

Peter,
Why do you assume that Tory or Labour assembly members cannot represent the views of the population of London.
Why should we be served by members who don’t have a real grasp on reality, like the Greens and the BMP. If your party put you up for election and you don’t get elected that’s what you’re constituents want and you don’t get a seat. Why then should you be given a free seat that you cant win under your own agenda?
I live in Harrow and Cllr Blackman never lost his seat because he was a Tory. He lost his seat because the constituents thought he was not doing a good enough job on their behalf. We vote you in, so we can vote you out. Surely that’s what true democracy brings, accountability!

By: Peter Hulme Cross

Peter Hulme Cross — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 16:08:08 +0000

This is what Roger Evans wrote on 15th May this year…

“And BNP man Barnbrook has taken up residence…. He raised a number of challenges at the assembly AGM and clearly sees himself as some sort of enfant terrible. However much we detest his views, he was democratically elected and has a right to play a full part in assembly committees, so we wait to see how he will interpret his role. He supported green member Darren Johnson in his bid to be deputy chair of the assembly…”

Has Roger changed his view since then?? It sounds as though he would like to see only Labour and Conservatives on the Assembly with the odd Lib Dem thrown in for good measure. That is what would happen if the Proportional Representation (PR) vote was abolished. It would hardly represent the different views among the Capital’s population and would make the Assembly Oh! so very dull and predictable.

Has Roger forgotten that while the Conservatives lost one Constituency seat last May, namely Bob Blackman in Harrow, they gained three PR seats, presumably from people voting Conservative across the board. So they did rather well out of PR after all.

By: Roger Evans

Roger Evans — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 22:21:38 +0000

Personally I would like to see PR scrapped, as it weakens government and creates higher cost pressures, as the administration buy off minority parties with taxpayers’ money.

A London Assembly without PR would probably be Labour more often than Conservative, considering the demographics of the capital. The Lib Dems might get some seats from South West London, the Greens and BNP would not be elected.

By: Jason

Jason — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 01:58:03 +0000

Coming to a country illegally and working without a visa is a criminal offence.
Robbing banks is a criminal offence.
Would you give a bank robber amnesty because he has been doing the same job for a few years?

Giving illegal immigrants amnesty is rewarding people for braking the law. By giving illegal immigrants in London amnesty, you are inviting all the illegal immigrants in the country to come to London.
Also you are putting out a message to others illegal immigrants abroad to come here, because there is hope they will eventually be able to stay.

If you don’t want to be seen voting the same way as the BNP then scrap proportional representation. That way you will get rid of all the loony parties as Thomas said earlier.

By: David Akin-Samuels

David Akin-Samuels — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 15:16:05 +0000

I strongly support the idea of amnesty for those who are in the first instance at work and who can show clearly that they are able to earn enough to keep themselves, I think if they are given five years to stay in the UK and after whichs their records should be checked for any crime or offence, then they could be given ILR (without benefit) for another five years. I am willing to work with the Mayor on this study (if given the opportunity).

By: Thomas the Taxi

Thomas the Taxi — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 05:13:55 +0000

Proportional representation was introduced because the Government knew without it, the Greens would never get a seat on the Assembly.
Now it’s backfired, you have to put up with the consequences.

By: Roger Evans

Roger Evans — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 21:44:53 +0000

Jeff, only two of my group left just before the vote was taken, which is not even a fifth – I guess you weren’t there, so we must view your comment in that light.

Colin – thank you for your support. Gesture politics is going to get short shrift from me.

As for Barnbrook, if the government really didn’t want him, why did they introduce proportional representation? It’s not as if nobody warned them…

By: Cllr Colin Smith (Bromley)

Cllr Colin Smith (Bromley) — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 16:12:59 +0000

Roger,

Again. Well done. Totally common sense correct decision. Whether AM Barnbrook concurs is irrelevant.

Please continue to ignore the opposition and their silly games. It’s well gone time that someone stood up and challenged this nonsense head on.

You can see from ‘jeff’s’ perjorative use of ‘your’ that he’s just another opposition troll.

By: jeff

jeff — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 14:27:33 +0000

Roger – why did half your group conveniently leave the chamber just before the vote was taken? anything to do with embarrassment?

and… are you not embarrassed that,according to the evening standard today, barnbrook said you “took the words out of his mouth” with your speech?

By: Adam

Adam — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 21:37:59 +0000

‘every body in the world deserve to have a safe life’

nice sentiment but it’s not down to us to provide a nice life to everyone in the world.