Daily Mail's front page shocker falls apart in the small print
The best way to read a Daily Mail story if you want to know what really happened is often to read it backwards.
(What this says about the newspaper’s worldview I leave for readers to decide.)
This morning’s splash about asylum seekers is no exception.
The story is headed:
ASYLUM SEEKERS FERRIED AROUND IN STRETCH LIMO
And guess what, you’re picking up the £3,000 bill!
Except, guess what? You’re not. Or not in the way this would suggest.
The story is based on claims by a limo driver, who says the Home Office is paying him to move a whopping seven asylum seekers from London to Manchester.
But if you read the story to the very end, buried deep in a quote from said Home Office is information which totally contradicts the driver’s account – and the whole angle of the story:
“Our contractors [in this case, Serco] are responsible for arranging the transport of asylum seekers and bear the cost of doing so. However, this incident was totally inappropriate and Serco has apologised. […]
There was no additional cost to the taxpayer.“
In other words, the limo was a decision by contractors Serco, not the government, and was paid for with the money they already receive.
This ‘£50,000 luxury stretch hummer’ hired for £3,000 has not cost you a penny – and the private contractors responsible have apologised for its use.
As with the Mail on Sunday‘s front page shocker in August about ‘Calais migrants’ being put up in swish hotels at taxpayer’s expense, if you follow the money, it overturns the whole whinge of the story – that taxpayers are forking out while ‘migrants’ live in luxury.
Anyone who bothers to read about the lives of asylum seekers and their prospects for the future will instantly see through this hateful garbage.
As one man from Sudan who paid traffickers to take him from Calais to Britain told the Mail: ‘I have no choice. I have to get away from death.’
Out of the jaws of death and into the mouth of ‘my Daily Mail hell’. Could we not offer such people better asylum provisions rather than contempt for being transported and stored like meat?
***
Like this article? Support our work: donate here.
Adam Barnett is a staff writer at Left Foot Forward. Follow MediaWatch on Twitter
Sign up for our weekly email by clicking here.
To reach hundreds of thousands of new readers and to make the biggest impact we can in the next general election, we need to grow our donor base substantially.
That's why in 2024, we are seeking to generate 150 additional regular donors to support Left Foot Forward's work.
We still need another 124 people to donate to hit the target. You can help. Donate today.
11 Responses to “Did we really spend £3,000 on a limo for asylum seekers?”
Dave Stewart
Following on from what Khadija has said the primary reason asylum seekers come to the UK is either A) they speak English, hence living in an English speaking country is preferable and B) because they have family here already. This has been shown to be the case based on asylum applications made.
Furthermore the UK actually attracts a very small number of asylum seekers compared to our EU neighbours. So the ones that do come here come here for good reason (see above). Surely you can see that by being able to speak the language and/or having family here already will enable these people to better settle and become productive members of our society.
One last thought, how about whenever you wish to talk and write about asylum seekers you engage in a little bit of empathy. Just put yourself in their place for a few moments, consider what would have caused them to flee the place of their birth, their family, their friends, their communities and homes. Consider the remarkable and dangerous journey they have taken to get here. Maybe once you have done this then make your comments.
They are people who want to live a good life just like you.
Cole
Not surprising the guy speaks English: Sudan used to be a British colony. It’s now run by a murderous regime that has killed millions of its own civilians. Its president has been indicted by the ICC for his genocudal behaviour. We should certainly be helping people who have fled whatever selfish and small minded people like NHSGP think.
Cole
Everyone knows Serco are hopelessly inefficient…
Dark_Heart_of_Toryland
In that case, you should be criticising Serco for their incompetence, or possibly the state for farming out vital services to the private sector.
Tanc
Please find that little brain cell of yours, its somewhere in there, maybe playing hide&seek with itself, before you repeatedly post gibberish. Imbecile