News review 2008

News review, 3 - 16 December Asylum and refugees made the headlines as The Chief Inspector of Prisons reported on failings at Oakington detention centre, the High Court ruled that the Home Office should review its blanket policy of not allowing asylum seekers to work, the Home Office decided not to appeal an important country guidance case for Zimbabwe and a campaign for free English lessons for asylum seekers was launched.
News review, 18 November - 2 December The Refugee Council and others responded to remarks from the Immigration Minister, Phil Woolas MP that asylum charities and lawyers “play the system”. Proposals to block the right to judicial review in some asylum cases also came under the spotlight and a new book on British reactions to refugees from 1915 to the present was published.
News review, 5 - 17 November The draft Immigration and Citizenship Bill was under scrutiny from the Home Affairs select committee, who were warned by the BMA and housing charities that the proposals could have dire effects on health and homelessness in the UK. The commitee also heard evidence from the Chief Executive of the Refugee Council, Donna Covey.
News review, 14 October - 4 November Violence in the DRC caused thousands to flee their homes while immigration minister Phil Woolas had an eventful start to his new role. Elsewhere, a pilot alternative scheme to detention of families was announced in Scotland, the Let Them Work campaign featured on the BBC’s Politics Show and a new book of photographs by young refugees was published.
News review, 1-13 October A Refugee Council report revealed voucher support leaves many hungry and desperate, a cabinet reshuffle saw Phil Woolas become immigration minister and the Home Secretary announced an independent inquiry into claims of abuse of people seeking asylum by British guards.
News review, 16 - 30 September The news that the UK would remove its immigration opt out on the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child showed a positive step in the way refugee children are treated in Britain - in the same fortnight the UK was criticised for its detention of children. Elsewhere, asylum seekers’ right to work continued to be on the party conference agenda, two protesters set up camp outside Parliament, and a London school got involved with a fundraising scheme with a difference…
News review, 2-15 September An eventful fortnight as 21 unions signed up to the TUC and Refugee Council campaign to let asylum seekers work, the New Statesman launched a campaign to end detention for children and a new anti-poverty campaign, Get Fair, released a survey highlighting poverty as a political issue in the UK.
News review, 19 August - 1 September Detention again made the headlines, with criticisms of two detention centres by HM Inspectorate of Prisons, a legal challenge in the high court to the imprisonment of a child who has been held for over six weeks and a rise in self-harming at detention centres all in the news. In other news, the latest asylum statistics were published, the Home Office proposed removing the right of asylum seekers to appeal to judicial review, and a film about UK refugees won an award from a US festival.
News review, 6 - 18 August Detainees at Campsfield detention centre continued their hunger strike in protest at conditions and forced deportation to Iraq. Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg called for asylum seekers to be allowed to work and many NHS staff reported confusion over the legal right of asylum seekers to healthcare. Refugee successes were also in the news as Lopez Lomong was chosen to carry the US flag at the Olympic opening ceremony and a teenage Afghan refugee won a place at Oxford University.
News review, 22 July - 5 August In the same fortnight that Australia revoked automatic detention for all asylum seekers, the Sunday Herald reported on overcrowding in Scotland’s Dungavel removal centre and European youth organisations called on the EU to end the detention of children. Destitution was again in the media, with a new survey showing that the numbers of refugees living in destitution in Leeds has more than doubled in the last 18 months.
News review, 24 June - 21 July This edition of the news review concentrates on the recent protests against the Government's stance on removing Zimbabwean asylum seekers. We cover the recent IAC reports and a report on abuse by private security companies. We also look at the support for gay asylum seekers from politicians and actors following comments by the Home Secretary and some new theatre about detention in London.
News review, 10 - 23 June It was an eventful two weeks with Refugee Week events taking place across the country in celebration of the contribution of refugees to the UK. The National newspapers took the opportunity to highlight key issues affecting refugees and asylum seekers while local newspapers concentrated on significant local events. We also look at other stories this week that highlight the affects of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan on refugee numbers and movements.
News review, 27 May - 9 June A difficult week began with the murder of an Eritrean schoolgirl in a knife attack in London. Further sad news came with the reporting of 2 African stowaways found dead in a ship’s hold and Afghan children in Greece went on hunger strike at conditions in their holding centre, as Nicolas Sarkozy proposed an EU immigration crackdown. On a more positive note, City of Sanctuary had its first National Conference and Paddington Bear's refugee status was highlighted in a new book by his creator.
News Review, 13 - 26 May Important developments this week included the publication of the latest asylum statistics, the Independent Asylum Commission’s first report and plans to expand immigration detention centres. Health was also in the news, with free healthcare for refused asylum seekers announced in Wales, a report rejecting claims of ‘health tourism’ and the deportation of a child with sickle cell anaemia. Finally, Mehdi Kazemi, the gay Iranian teenager facing deportation and execution was granted asylum.
News Review, 29 April - 12 May This week a columnist from the Financial Times and a report from the TUC endorsed the right to work for asylum seekers, the UKBA code of practice for children came under scrutiny and the Refugee Council published a report on schools' role in supporting refugee children. We also report on how donkey charities are the winners in the fundraising game and a new theatre production ‘They Get Free Mobiles Don’t They?’
News review, 15 - 28 April This week the Refugee Council and the TUC launched a campaign calling for the right of asylum seekers to work. Deportation was in the news as the government won a case to return asylum seekers to all parts of Iraq and Nigerians called for a boycott of British Airways. Figures on self-harm at detention centres were released, calls were made for free HIV treatment for refused asylum seekers and a demonstration was held in memory of a woman deported to Ghana whilst undergoing cancer treatment.
News review, 1 - 14 April Iraqi asylum seekers were in the news this week as 50 people were deported and three families of former British forces’ employees were airlifted to the UK. A House of Lords report on immigration caused rows in parliament and there were demonstrations at immigration centres over living conditions. A judge ruled that all asylum seekers should have access to free healthcare and London mayoral candidates pledged support for an amnesty on illegal immigration - to include refused asylum seekers.
News review, 18 - 31 March Asylum issues featured prominently in the news this week, as the Independent Asylum Commission published a damning report, bishops criticised the treatment of asylum seekers and members of the House of Lords demanded a moratorium on removals to Iran. UNHCR published figures showing a rise in asylum applications from Iraq as the government prepared to resettle 2,000 Iraqis in the UK. Zimbabweans facing deportation were threatened with imprisonment on their return.
News review, 4 - 17 March This week’s News Review includes a number of controversial stories, including the withdrawal of support for refused Iraqi asylum seekers, forced returns to Zimbabwe and public outcry over a gay teenager facing deportation to Iran. More positive news includes a High Court decision to award £15,000 damages to a Cameroonian asylum seeker, Lord Goldsmith’s citizenship review, a new play about teenage detainees, and the nomination of a refugee’s memoir for a top literary prize.
News Review, 19 Feb – 03 March The News review this week reports on a number of criticisms made at the government over asylum policy – detention, dispersal plans, the Clannebor pilot scheme, immigration policies and the treatment of Iraqi refugees and unaccompanied young people seeking asylum. The latest asylum statistics were also released.
News Review, 5 - 18 February It was a good week for asylum seekers in Scotland, with the start of an extensive review of cases and an increase in ESOL funding. The news was less positive in the rest of the UK – as church leaders urged the authorities to improve the asylum system, friends of an 18-year-old heart patient said that he died because he was denied NHS treatment and eight people fought for their lives after being found stowed away in a tanker.
News Review, 22 January - 4 February This week’s News Review looks at issues affecting young people, including Home Office proposals to deport unaccompanied children, a 14 year old sickle cell anaemia patient who’s fighting to remain in the UK and conditions faced by children in immigration centres. It also covers a new citizens’ consultation on the treatment of asylum seekers and brings together the latest special features on individual stories.
News Review, 8 - 21 January In the same week as a young sickle cell anaemia sufferer faced deportation, doctors said that they would defy plans to withdraw healthcare to refused asylum seekers. The government announced the ratification of the Council of Europe’s Convention Against Trafficking and launched a 10 point plan on immigration, including compulsory ID cards for foreign nationals.
News review, 18 December 07 - 07 January 08 The News review reports on a race relation audit of detention centres, the growing refugee crisis in Kenya, Barnardo's report on the welfare of children from asylum seeking families and protests made at BIA regional offices.

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