Liverpool Newswire Archive

The recent bid of a disaffected Chinese consular official to defect in Australia has displayed some curious behaviour from all concerned, not the least being the ineptitudes of Chinese government officials. Representatives of sovereign powers are not usually intimidated by journalists; however, during an interview (on the Australian media) the Chinese ambassador’s response to a question regarding the claim that three thousand Chinese 'spies' were operating in Australia, exhibited all the inexperience expected from Chinese officials in matters of international espionage. Read more >>

Four years ago parts of the Smithdown and Kensington areas of Liverpool were designated as regeneration areas. £62m government funding known as New Deal for Communities funding was given to the areas which encompass approximately 4,000 houses were 13,000 people live. But the whole emphasis behind this regeneration initiative was to decimate the community through unnecessary demolition of perfectly good terraced housing and to socially cleanse the area of elderly home owners, RSL and private landlord tenants.

Read more >>

This Friday June 10th Liverpool DEFY-ID are going to picket Frank Field's (he voted for ID card bill last time round) constituency surgery at Birkenhead Town Hall at 5pm.

Please come along and show your opposition to this alarming POLICE STATE legislation. Read more >>

The Liverpool Social Forum, Liverpool's grassroots network of activists, groups and concerned individuals fighting for local and global justice has launched a new website. Read more >>

more info at Indymedia.ie Read more >>

review of meeting Read more >>

The YMCA have dropped section 10 - Hooray!
Just announced on Radio Merseyside
31 May 2005

 http://www.smartgroups.com/message/readmessage.cfm?gid=1256290&messageid=2711

 http://www.smartgroups.com/message/readmessage.cfm?gid=1256290&messageid=2712
Read more >>

festival Read more >>

A night of musical fundraising for Cuban youth. Read more >>

Below is the latest leaflet from No One is illegal against the YMCA using Asylum Seekers as slave labour. Read more >>

Merseyside Asylum Rights Campaign got together with other activists outside Millennium House, Liverpool on Tuesday 24th May, to protest about the Home Office and YMCA negotiations and plans for a forced labour scheme for failed asylum seekers.

The Home Office and YMCA are pledging that this scheme will be under section 10 of the Asylum & Immigration Act 1999.

The demonstration was small but effective. The 8 protestors stood their ground outside Millennium House (Liverpool City Council building) and were joined in solidarity by those invited to the meeting on their way in and out of the meeting and by those few who ’gate crashed’ - Councillors! Read more >>

Learn how to design and install a solar electric system. Ideal for anyone wanting to install their own solar electric system start a solar business or find work in the growing solar industry. And enjoy the South of France at the same time! Run by an NGO Organization. Read more >>

Human rights protesters visited the residence of the Bishop of Birmingham the morning of Tuesday 24th May to protest at his organisations involvement in the governments plans to force asylum seekers to work without pay, union rights or health and safety for basic human needs. Refugees will be forced under the scheme to perform degrading menial tasks for their meagre upkeep. If they refuse they will be made homeless and receive no support of any kind, and will be liable to be detained and deported.

The human rights protesters representing asylum seekers, symbolically chained together with the initials Y.M.C.A. branded on their backs, cleaned up the residence, removing dirt and grime from various points on the outside of the building. Read more >>

Another critical mass this Friday, Chinatown Gate, 6.30pm!! Be there or be a bit crap. Read more >>

Say no to Asylum Slavery

Demonstrate Tuesday 24th May 2005

12.15pm to 2.00pm

Called by Merseyside Asylum Rights Campaign

Liverpool Council Building
Millenium House
60 Victoria Street
Liverpool
L1. 6JQ

There will be a demonstration outside Millenium House against the Home Office consultation on Section 10 of the Asylum and Immigration Act 2004 (minimum support for compulsory 'community service'). The consultation is taking place regarding the YMCA agreement to participate in this dreadful 'practice' and sadly Liverpool YMCA has agreed to run a pilot scheme. We must all let the YMCA know that they should now say NO.
Read more >>

Merseyside TUC invite interested trade unionists, & anyone else concerned about the proposed introduction of compulsory identity cards and a national identity register, to an open meeting to discuss the issue - from 11.a.m. on Saturday 21st May 2005 in the Casa 29 Hope Street, Liverpool.
Read more >>

Liverpool YMCA is going to be the first voluntary sector agency to collude with the Home Office in the immigration slavery scheme introduced by section 10 of the 2004 legislation.

No One Is Illegal has sent the following letter. We would ask other individuals and organisations to do the same in their name. Also there is a consultation meeting with the YMCA and the Home Office about this on 24th May - 12.40 - 2.40 at Millenium House in Liverpool. Read more >>

The Home Office have now ratcheted up the ante by re-introducing slavery through the form of 'voluntary service for people who have failed the Asylum System and needing subsistence and accommodation' with the assistance of the National YMCA Organisation.

Liverpool YMCA is going to be the first voluntary sector agency to collude with the Home Office in the immigration slavery scheme introduced by section 10 of the 2004 legislation.

While Liverpool is parading on its City Of Culture, 2008 Status (more like Culture of Capital, Here & Now), it would be worthwhile stating historical fact - Liverpool was home to the Slave Trade - and now in 2005, Liverpool could and may well become home to the New City Of Slavery.

The YMCA and the Home Office have called for a 'Closed Door' Meeting to be held at Liverpool City Councils Millenium House on Tuesday 24 May 2005 from 12:40 - 14:40hrs.

The aim of this meeting from what I can gather, is to 'embrace community dialogue' - through restricting the meeting to just a few (highly-paid & self-anointed) NGOs (whose own sources of revenue are probably paid for by the Home Office...)

The question is, can real community dialogue be achieved like this?

The meeting was posted on the SmartGroups Liverpool asylum seeker and refugee support group:

 http://www.smartgroups.com/message/viewdiscussion.cfm?gid=1256290&messageid=2609

----Section 4 Support - 'Voluntary Service'

>> There is a consultation meeting with the YMCA and
>> the Home Office about this on 24th May - 12.40 - 2.40
>> at Millenium House in Liverpool.

As you can see this is the only outside knowledge of this meeting.

I contacted the Liverpool YMCA today which people believe to be the site of the Pilot Scheme, and the Office Administrator has denied any knowledge of the meeting, but said that, "if it's not Liverpool then it might be Chester which will do it."

If the meeting is being held within Council premises, can Trade Unionists based within Millenium House please make and take action with regards to this?

UNISON, and other Unions the call-out for you is here.

Individuals with a conscience, please make your views heard on this subject.

The following links are related to this meeting:

YMCA slave labour scheme

Section 4 Support - 'Voluntary Service'

There is a consultation meeting with the YMCA and the Home Office
about this on 24th May - 12.40 - 2.40 at Millenium House in Liverpool.

 http://www.smartgroups.com/message/readmessage.cfm?gid=1256290&messageid=2602

IND has announced that YMCA England will be running a pilot exercise for Section 10 of the Asylum & Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc) Act in Liverpool.

Word document:

 http://www.asylumpolicy.info/mayiapnews.doc

YMCA England Statement following meeting with Church Action on Poverty, Boaz Trust and Churches Commission on Racial Justice

Word document:

 http://www.asylumpolicy.info/ymcastatement.doc

It is important that no-one allows this 'Pilot' to get off the ground.

While the YMCA may or could agree to the scheme, it can only be made unworkable if YMCA Staff take a stand on this issue - strike action, refuse on moral grounds, refuse on Health & Safety issues (will the refugees be given proper H&S training?)

Or perhaps I could 'release' the person out, if I saw a refugee doing what I called anything like 'labour'?

Or maybe, the homeless people within the YMCAs will start "getting refugees to do their 'dirty-work'", or cause deep divisions within already dis-enfranchised communities?

If this doesn't happen here, it could happen near YOU.

Maybe meet up at The Egg, Tuesday 24/05, 11:30am?

Anyone into it?

Banners, drums, trumpets, anything to make a party & noise.

Can the 'Outside Media' meaning The Echo/BBC do something on it? Read more >>

Market orientation at university results in zero-tolerance approach to dissent ---> Read more >>

When the G8 meets in Scotland, Merseyside will be at the forefront pf the protest. Last night (10th May) saw an excitable and positive mobalising meeting which gives promise for a really big and diverse campaign... Read more >>