Article For Kentish Express

27 October 2003

Last week’s announcement of an amnesty for asylum seekers has I think caused great concern. The Government announced that 15,000 families whose applications for asylum have been refused but whose appeals have yet to be heard will be allowed to stay in this country and be granted UK citizenship.

The trouble with this announcement is that it sends the wrong message to the rest of the world. In effect the Government is saying –if you can enter Britain illegally and lie low for long enough you will be allowed to stay forever. That will encourage asylum seekers who are not genuine refugees to go to great lengths to come here. It is, I am afraid, a completely misconceived decision which should not have been made.

Another issue which is giving rise to widespread concern is the funding of education in our area. I have been deluged with letters from schools in the constituency expressing their anxiety about this year’s funding and apprehension about next year’s. 

The background to this year’s settlement is that the Government redistributed its grant, which pays for the bulk of local services, from the South, including Kent, to the North and the Midlands. Kent alone lost £40 million last year in this way. And although Kent County Council spent more on its schools than the Government recommended, there were still huge difficulties including some local redundancies.

Unfortunately it looks as though next year’s settlement will be just as bad, if not worse. That is why I have received so many expressions of concern. I have taken up this issue with the Government and will do all in my power to safeguard the interests of our schools and our children.

Meanwhile last week was Volunteering Week. I had two enjoyable stints in Hythe on Saturday, selling poppies and helping out at help the Aged in the High Street. It was a wonderful antidote to the feverish atmosphere of politics at Westminster!