Comments on: UK set to deport gay man back to Iraq

By: Nollam

Nollam — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 15:00:15 +0000

To be fair to the UKBA, they have a very difficult job. The issue is not just interpreting the law, but also determining the validity of those who apply for asylum. According to the UKBA comment, the man had already been prosecuted for illegally staying in the country; and in his earlier application for asylum he did not petition on the grounds of homosexuality.

Whilst I agree with all of the comments relating to the provision of a safe haven for people in trouble, I do feel that we should take care not to be exploited. Individual cases have to be evaluated on their own merits, and it is not at all clear that this gentleman is making a valid claim.

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By: Olivetree

Olivetree — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 21:22:05 +0000

That's nice- stay in the closet and you'll be fine. It's none of our business. Not to put a damper on things, but they kill people in Iraq b/c of open homosexuality- and yet the UK denies him asylum? Sheesh. He should seek asylum in the US and move to Philadelphia.

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By: john wilfred sharp

john wilfred sharp — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 04:12:35 +0000

it is not easy .
we need to seed Islam from the hate .
Religions are lies and KILL gays in Islam.
this is what need to be stopped by the UN

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By: Sister Mary Clarence

Sister Mary Clarence — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 21:20:21 +0000

Looking at this from a purely financial point of view as several people seem to want to view this, assuming said gay man were to be given leave to remain here, it would qualify him for a national insurance number and he could then get a job.

Various tabloids are now awash with stories on people coming over here and taking British jobs, and following that through paying taxes. Most immigrant workers do not qualify (initially at least) for the shovel loads of benefits that the British seem to take as some God given right, and therefore have to take often modestly paid jobs in order to feed themselves and keep warm.

To a certain extend I would agree with Irritated that I don’t want my taxes used supporting ‘foreigners’ coming here to sponge off the state (and me).

I am however all for them coming over here, finding safe refuge, getting a job and a better life, paying taxes, contributing to society, and helping me and the dwindling number of people to finance the every increasing benefits bill for British loafers, who can’t be asked to get off their lazy arses are get a f**king job.

One of the main problems with this country and what will hamper any recovery from Gordon Brown’s great depression is the fact that British workers are developing such a huge chip on their shoulder.

If you hardly speak the language, are unfamiliar with the culture and don’t have equivalent qualifications you are at a disadvantage on the jobs market. Hard then to explain why so many migrant workers have managed to come over here and ‘steal’ British job. Of course it might be that most of them come from cultures where if you don’t work you get nothing.

We have an international responsibility to provide sanctuary to those fleeing persecution. Again and again we hear stories of Britain shirking that responsibility and/or getting around it on a technicality. We either abide by the treaties we sign or we withdraw from them and let the world see the type of people that we really have running the country.

Those bleating on about the ‘cost’ of letting these people in should take a long hard look at how much some of the folks at home are screwing us for.

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By: Iris

Iris — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 15:44:27 +0000

Yes, we should give asylum to the deserving. Definitely. However, all the 'anti' comments don't surprise me. I understand that people are getting pissed off at the chancers and bogus asylum seekers being let into the UK (after carefully making their way through loads of SAFE European countries). What about that recent case of a woman granted asylum because she was tall? (using just one example) She, in my opinion (and my opinion only) came here to scrounge as even her mother said she was happy in her native country.
Yes, LGBT people should be granted asylum, as should many other persecuted people, but let's make space for them by stopping this ridiculous immigration policy that let's in the frauds and turns away the genuine people.

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By: apYrs

apYrs — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 15:10:52 +0000

I'm sure that if we sent all the foreigners back, we'd have plenty of vacancies. And also a broken health service, broken down service industry, but plenty of houses for the workshy, and plenty of un-filled jobs.

I'm sorry if I offend, but I'm too old to tolerate intolerance. We're not a poor nation as can be seen be our bloated defence budget, and the mammoth amounts of money found to bail out financiers. We can afford to give asylum to the persecuted; if we can't NONE of us has a right to whinge if the wind turns against us, and the laws become anti-gay again.

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By: M Pryce

M Pryce — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 14:00:00 +0000

Charity is wonderful but tax payers money is something else. Sorry but its time Britain had a 'NO VACANCIES' sign up.
We need to sort out our housing, hospitals, transport and schools.

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By: apYrs

apYrs — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 13:44:58 +0000

OK @Irritated

sending someone back to Iraq knowing that they will very probably be killed makes you a fully-rounded and wonderful human being.

Good I'm glad that's been cleared up. I had thought the mark of a civilisation was how it treated its weakest; that appears only to be the case if they've got a residency permit. I'm sorry then if my contempt for someone sitting pretty and safe in the UK (due to the struggle of lots of other people like me) somehow puts me into the goon squad of assassins.

You will, no doubt, fully support in retrospect those nice German soldiers who helped the Gays intot he gas chambers: after all it was their country – we wouldn't want to get involved would we?

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By: Irritated

Irritated — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 11:43:43 +0000

I agree we have far too many foreign people settling here. I would prefer that my taxes were not supporting such people. I am sure that life is dreadful for many gay people around the world but that does not mean I have to be happy about them coming to England. apYrs: Just because a person doesnt share your views does not make them less human – thats a perspective that you appear to share with these Iraqi murder squads.

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By: Rich

Rich — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 09:40:47 +0000

If the Islams find out he is gay he will die

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By: apYrs

apYrs — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 07:59:12 +0000

@Outraged: gay men aren't possibly persecuted in Iraq (and the other benighted countries that disfigure our world) they are killed. And their killers released. You get that.

Your attitude makes you unfit to be a member of the human race, and you would do us all a favour by crawling back under youir rock and leave us to our discussions, or better – try out Iraq yourself to see how safe it is for a gay man.

I would prefere my taxes to support such people than all the crap it gets wasted on – that's how the "charity" angle is answeered

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By: Chris Brocklesby

Chris Brocklesby — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 07:27:02 +0000

It defies belief to think that the UK government can countenance the return of LGBT people to Iraq or any other country where gay people are persecuted. What sort of image is that for a 21st century state?

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By: john sexton

john sexton — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 03:52:22 +0000

When will the UKBA realise that you only need to be suspected of being Gay to be persecuted. This guy’s life is at risk if he is returned. Show some compassion/humanity for a change UKBA

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