why do "asylum seekers" pass through half of Europe to get to Britain?

Question

If they were really genuine wouldnt they simply stop at the nearest place of safety?

Answer 1

cos were part of stinkin europe and they all let them through knowing there nowhere else to go once they get here we'll be stuck with them, especially the french, bunch of cheese eating surrender monkeys

Answer 2

I think its partially because English is probably the most commonly taught second language on the planet. While some asylum seekers may not speak it well being able to communicate is an added bonus. While there are obviously other reasons why they do not stop at the nearest place of safety Britain traditionally has been a place of asylum for refugees from French aristocrats escaping the French Revolution to Karl Marx and Lenin plotting revolution. While they were political refugees many are now economic refugees and that's a whole different ball game, involving as it does economic changes at a global level.

Answer 3

Now this is a question I really would like to see answered.
My ideas are as follows:
1. An open and mobile job market, certainly compared to Germany, the second favourite destination.
2. A long history of relative openess and tolerance.
3. We speak english. Many countries teach english, and is often seen as a way to get on.
4. Economic - if you can work, you can earn a great deal more than back home. If you can't, then state benefits will help.
5. NHS - free healthcare.

This is based on speaking to the people themselves.

Answer 4

Britain operates an external border control once a person is in the country all befits and citizens rights become available to them.The continent operate internal and external control measures like I.D. cards because without a sea around their border were more porous than Britain's .Their civil services operations and government policy was capable of saying no and deporting unofficial entrance to their countries.
.

Answer 5

They are breaking international law and annoying me to my limits!

International law states that an asylum seekers must head towards the NEAREST safe country and stay there. Not move through that safe country, and three others to get to the country they want to live in. That's not right. Thing is, our asylum laws are pathetic. We need to toughen up. Fast.

Answer 6

your question contains the answer. they are trying to stop in "teh nearest place of safety" which is more likely to be one of the more developed and stable nations in this planet and yes usa and uk are two of those. sometimes these type of questions whiff of racism and i cannot even be bothered to add fuel to the fire of it by answering such ridiculous questions.

still,just to give you teh benefit of the doubt i bothered on this occasion.

try watching teh film cry freedom and that will give you perhaps a different view on immigration. teh film ends with a rich white newspaper editor applying for asylum in britain whilst at the british consulate in a southern african country. he has escaped from apartheid-torn south africa but is not willing to stay in teh first port of call because he knows that his future fight for freedom will not be as effective from that place as it would be in britain. it is a compliment to britain that he thought that and the british consulate welcomed him with open arms and agreed to his request without him having to fill out even one form (according to the film).

imagine if that was a black man though - no-one would have probably bothered to even watch teh film let alone granted him asylum so easily. no, i'm not trying to play the race card - just to try and widen your perspective on immigration.

nb - most of the people already living in the uk and usa are born from erstwhile immigrants so teh ground many of teh previous answers to this question stand on quicksand as far as i can tell.

Answer 7

The Geneva Convention states they should go to the next safe country. Because the rest of Europe will not have them we take them in. Blair is trying to get his score up for his sainthood. We are also the one country that gives them everything free, housing,food and money.

Answer 8

Because their countries were colonised by the British at one time and they speak English. Often when the empire left there was a power vacuum and they now have tin-pot dictators.

Did you know that exiles from ex-French colonies usually go to France?

Answer 9

because there is an EU agreement on the numbers each member state is required to take in in order to prevent the countries at the edge of europe getting flooded.

The UK takes something like 2% if that

Answer 10

Because the UK Government is a "Soft Touch"! We have become the "Asylum capital of the world"!! They know what they get when they come here,right down to the last penny!!!!!!!!

Answer 11

Because most people, if they're going to take the rather brave step of pull up their roots and moving halfway across the world, would prefer to end in a place where there is work to be found, and a decent life to be had.