Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Lily Allen in Calais

310 replies

parrots · 12/10/2016 19:43

Couldn't find another thread on this. The situation in Calais is awful, but AIBU to see Lily Allen's overtures as slightly virtue signalling and self-indulgent?

OP posts:
bibbitybobbityyhat · 12/10/2016 20:41

It is 100% a massive publicity stunt. She could have volunteered there anonymously. My opinion of her continues to fall. But beware, HQ will delete this thread pretty swiftly, they don't like a criticism of Lily.

MorrisZapp · 12/10/2016 20:41

Comparisons with Jewish children during the war are pointless. In the war, we sent our own kids away to strangers in the countryside where some were abused. We don't live in that kind of world any more.

We can't send kids to unvetted homes, and we already have a shortage of foster carers.

scaryteacher · 12/10/2016 20:42

Milk Why are Italy and Greece not deemed safe? If that is the case. why are they in the EU, and why is it deemed safe for everyone else? France is safe, as is Belgium, where most people speak English.

I am unsure that Kent social services can cope with any more migrant children given some of the reports floating around in the media, and if social services are at breaking point, will they get adequate care?

MilkandAssal · 12/10/2016 20:42

MaQueen, that isn't me, that's the Human Rights Committee. We try hard to not deport to Hungary and Italy due to racism and mis treatment, Greece is not allowed to have finger printed (Eurodac) refugees returned to it at all and Italy and Hungary have been applied to have the same sanction.

MilkandAssal · 12/10/2016 20:43

Then maybe Kent should disperse the children all over the UK. If any of you bleating knew anything you'd know that the Dublin Agreement and Dubs amendment are different things and has absolutely fuck all to do with illegal crossings, lorries and Kent.

MilkandAssal · 12/10/2016 20:43

You know what else can fuck off? The expression Migrant Children.

They're refugees. They're minors. They're unaccompanied.

Thefishewife · 12/10/2016 20:44

She dosent speak for me

She could help many of she put her mind to it

PortiaCastis · 12/10/2016 20:44

I don't assume all refugees are syrian and i am not fuckin ignorant. As I said the traffickers are the people at fault.

MistressMerryWeather · 12/10/2016 20:44

they appeared to have the UK coastguard's number conveniently stored in their phone

You mean 999?

forkhandles4candles · 12/10/2016 20:44

We didn't start the fire eh? Shat a reactionary pit MN has become.

MilkandAssal · 12/10/2016 20:46

KC255, here it's different once they reach 18 and 25 they are re assessed and for some bizarre reason the British Gov has declared Afghanistan a safe country, so many will be shipped away again.

scaryteacher · 12/10/2016 20:48

We didn't have this shit with persecuted Jewish children, we took them in We turned an awful lot of them away iirc from my history lessons, including a ship load that pinged between us and the US where they were also turned away.

StarBurger · 12/10/2016 20:50

Last time the jungle was bulldozed over 100 children vanished... top fucking work guys...

DillyDayDream8 · 12/10/2016 20:50

I foster a refugee. He is a sweet sweet boy who has been through a hell of a lot of trauma and loss. He is happy, safe and loved here and is welcomed by all my family.
Milk - I'm glad they have people like you over there helping them and people like Lily highlighting the horrible conditions they are living in.
My boy was one of the lucky ones.

clam · 12/10/2016 20:51

I would have no idea how to phone the Coastguard. Is it 999? No idea. And how would they, if they hadn't researched? Do you know the Emergency Services number for France, offhand? Italy? Germany?

And by the way, all other things aside for a moment, that particular "child" Lily Allen was interviewing, no WAY was he 13 or anywhere close. He has clearly been shaving for years.

MilkandAssal · 12/10/2016 20:51

And we should learn from that, eh?

In answer to what will the French do with the refugees after the eviction, they've said they'll provide accommodation across 8 regions.

They have no accommodation plans for the children nor any accommodation centres for minors. Home secretary is in talks to bring over all of the minors who have a right to be here.

quicklydecides · 12/10/2016 20:51

Pity she chose a full grown man to cry in front of.
13 year old.
Right, just like me. I'm 13.

PausingFlatly · 12/10/2016 20:52

The UK and others failing to give enough to support displaced people in Jordan and Lebanon is why many made the decision to come to Europe in the first place. Rations were cut more than a year ago now, and many people decided it was better to die quickly risking a journey than die slowly.

Reuters article, Jul 2015: Short of cash, U.N. cuts Syria refugees' rations again

UNHCR current summary: www.unhcr.org/uk/syria-emergency.html

MilkandAssal · 12/10/2016 20:52

Love that Dilly

Lightsoffplease · 12/10/2016 20:52

Let's see, here are but two examples of Britain's destructive path:

For centuries, Ireland was horrifically oppressed under British rule.

It created and was responsible for the very first concentration camp - see 'Scorched Earth Policy ' - during the Anglo-Boer war. Some 40 years before WW2

MilkandAssal · 12/10/2016 20:52

Yep last demolition we lost lots of children.

A 14 year old was killed last week.

Lightsoffplease · 12/10/2016 20:54
MistressMerryWeather · 12/10/2016 20:54

No I wouldn't know those numbers but if I were a refugee crossing the channel on a dinghy I would ask around the camp.

They are desperate not stupid.

StarBurger · 12/10/2016 20:55

I would have no idea how to phone the Coastguard. Is it 999? No idea. And how would they, if they hadn't researched? Do you know the Emergency Services number for France, offhand? Italy? Germany?

The same number used in most European countries 112

Thefishewife · 12/10/2016 20:55

poster MorrisZapp Wed 12-Oct-16 20:41:54
Comparisons with Jewish children during the war are pointless. In the war, we sent our own kids away to strangers in the countryside where some were abused. We don't live in that kind of world any more.

We can't send kids to unvetted homes, and we already have a shortage of foster carers.
Add message | Report | Message poster scaryteacher Wed 12-Oct-16 20:42:05 this any of the bloody wingers on here are welcome to put them selves through a year of assment by social services as foster carers no I thought not you all have no fucking idea almost nightly sw sift through lists of foster carers begging for a spear bed often siblings sperated because there is no room it only takes a family of 4 or 5 children to be taken into care and the LA is fucked I takes on avarge a year to asses a foster carer and also not all foster carers take older children in face foster carers for teenagers are the group that are hardest to recruit for and you are also aware that they would need to be Muslim if the children were going to be placed long term

You will also be aware that a small majority of the children will actually be young adults or in fact men in the uk ss are not allowed to to bone density checks so it's pretty much guestermation personally if I were fostering again I would not take these group of children in unless ss could prove 100% there age you would be putting yourself at risk and any other younger foster children you had in your care

Swipe left for the next trending thread