Highland Clearances – Zielsdorfs Deported Tomorrow 415


The Zielsdorf family will be deported by the UK Home Office tomorrow, in an act of pointless Tory cruelty that enforces immigration regulations designed for SE England and totally unsuited to the needs of the Highlands. Laggan village store is now closed down.

We called on the Zielsdorf family again two months ago. Having been unable to find anybody else to buy and run the business in Laggan for a sum which would anywhere near clear their investment, they literally have no home to go to in Canada. Jason is hoping to buy an old bus for them to live in. Yes, a bus. They are however a resilient and cheerful family buoyed by their religious faith.

You can find worse acts of Tory cruelty – the cutting of benefits to the terminally ill deemed able to work a few more weeks, for example. But it is hard to conceive of an act of Tory cruelty which is more absolutely pointless than the deportation of the Zielsdorfs. Laggan loses its store, they lose their home and living, and the store/cafe’s employee loses their job. Not to mention the Tory fantasy of leaving the EU and rejoining the British Empire as rather strangely kicking off by deporting Canadians.

I was simply horrified by the nasty comments underneath a story on this in the Scotsman a couple of weeks ago. I will not link to it. I like to think that the nastiness of May does not reflect our society, but there are some deeply unpleasant people out there in the unionist community. The comments also made a large number of totally incorrect assumptions. In fact the Zielsdorfs have claimed no UK benefits of any kind and have used neither the NHS nor the school, they home educate. Personally I think as fully participating and tax-paying members of the community they should have used those state assets, but they were scrupulous in not doing so.

Original Post 17 October 2016:

There is so much injustice in Tory Britain you trip over it when you are not looking. We just enjoyed a long weekend in the Highlands, and stayed through airbnb at the Wayfarers’ Rest in Laggan. Our hosts were the delightful Zielsdorf family, who could not have been more friendly and welcoming. Their kindness and attention were particularly remarkable given they are every second awaiting the arrival of the border force to deport them.

Cameron and some of the Zielsdorf children on the banks of the Spey (with permission)

Cameron and some of the Zielsdorf children on the banks of the Spey (with permission)

Jason and Christy Zielsdorf are Canadian. They have been in Scotland for eight years, legally, and several of their children were born here. After studying theology at St Andrews, Jason decided to stay on. Armed with an entrepreneur visa, two years ago he bought the general store and bothy in the small Highland village of Laggan. The premises had been empty for 18 months, because there is not a rich living in providing this community service. The Zielsdorfs reckoned that by investing in the accommodation and opening a coffee shop highlighting their excellent home cooking (and it really is excellent), they could make a go of it and cater not just for locals but the passing hillwalkers. And they have done.

It took some time and a lot of work for the business to find its feet, and to date they have only been able to give full time employment to one person, not the two their visa stipulates. Although they argue given time their business will reach a stage to employ two people, the Home Office says their time is up and is insisting on their deportation; a month ago they were told they will be deported imminently.

Deporting children who have only ever known Scotland is ludicrous. Fairly well the entire community of Laggan has written in support of the Zielsdorfs. Both Jason and Christy have Scottish ancestry.

It is not easy to run a business in the Highlands and Laggan is better for what the Zielsdorfs have done. Local MP Drew Hendry has worked hard for them, but met only unhelpfulness from the Home Office, who have not even given a ministerial meeting promised in response to a parliamentary question.

We do not know when they will get the 5am knock on the door and be taken into custody. They have been unable to sell the Wayfarers’ Rest, in which they invested £240,000, because just as before they came, nobody else wants to run it. In an act of supreme pettiness, the Home Office have confiscated Jason’s driving licence, which makes life in the Highlands near impossible. Also as a former pastor Jason used to pay community visits on elderly and vulnerable people in isolated locations, which he cannot now do.

The truth is, having set arbitrary numerical limits on net immigration, if the Home office deports the Zielsdorf family that reduces net immigration by seven – and they are low-hanging fruit, easy to find, not able to disappear and defenceless. Their plight is Tory Britain’s heartless xenophobia in action.

This case is a prime example of how ridiculous it is to rule the Highlands from London. The law is framed to deal with the immigration situation in London or Birmingham. It is totally inappropriate to the Highlands, where the problem is under-population, where a village store is a precious thing and providing even one full time job to the community is invaluable.

It is also of course worth noting that it takes a special kind of government stupidity to embark upon post-Brexit relationships by picking on the Canadians.

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415 thoughts on “Highland Clearances – Zielsdorfs Deported Tomorrow

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  • helen

    Surely these matters should now be devolved to the Scottish parliament. It would appear that the home office are choosing to focus on Scotland for deportation victims. This family are running a successful business providing a local service and have raised the Scottish born children here. They should be left to continue with their lives in Scotland in peace.

    • nevermind

      well said Helen, nobody ever thinks about the children involved the roots they put down, the friends they have made, just another Tory policies that rips people out of their settings and crushes their ambitions.
      I very much hope that their case will get some support from the SNP, otherwise their Indy campaign just sounds as nationalististic as the others.

  • Born Optimist

    Cases like this indicate, somewhat contrarily, how pathetic and draconian the Home Office is. I would happily suggest that civil disobedience was again on the calendar where worthwhile individuals are likely to be deported if it were not likely to fuel the appetite of the Daily Mail and Express for SG bashing headlines and work to the detriment of future families facing deportation.

    But surely there must be something the Scottish Government is willing to do when morality and natural justice trumps the one size fits all law that is clearly inappropriate to the Highlands. At the very least the SG could offer a guarantee that whatever the maddening outcome of current UK law when Scotland is independent they will review matters and compensate everyone who had a good case to stay and yet is deported.

      • ET

        Would have to be a government petition to have any attention at all from WM. I think (and I’m sure someone will correct me if wrong) there needs to be 100,000 signatures before the UK government will consider it for debate.

  • Sharp Ears

    No. It’s OK everyone. The Heil says they should stay. It’s only people with brown skins they don’t want here.

    They managed to find an Iraqi child abuser and an Albanian killer to point at. Those crimes are unheard of in the Persil white community.

    Another Home Office farce to make your blood boil: Canadian family who run Monarch of the Glen shop are ordered to leave Britain… but a convicted Iraqi child abuser and an Albanian killer can stay
    Jason and Christy Zielsdorf and their five children ordered back to Canada
    They have invested £200,000 in shop made famous by Monarch of the Glen
    But they could only afford to hire one staff member so failed to meet the criteria for a business visa
    Child abuser Howri Hamad Garib and killer Saliman Barci are still in the UK
    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3620001/The-Home-Office-farce-make-blood-boil-Hard-working-family-run-Monarch-Glen-shop-ordered-leave-Britain-convicted-Iraqi-child-abuser-Albanian-killer-stay.html

  • BrianPowell

    I see the article in the Calgary paper was published in June. I think they would need to revise one comment, where it said ‘British people are embarrassed’ and change that to Scottish people. Clearly the hysteria and rise of over 40% in hate crime in England, now shows a great divide in attitudes.

    • Shatnersrug

      Brian, this is just a lazy stereotype on your part. This case affects anyone with a heart england is no more full of hateful people than Scotland is a breeding ground for Noe nazi bands like skrewdriver.

      • James

        Tha mi a dol leat… 🙂 your view echoes my thinking, good points ruined by attempts to racialise “english” v “scots”… i myself call myself a Gael first….! 🙂

    • Old Mark

      Brian Powell-

      Go back to page 1 of the comments and look at the story about the Indian citizen threatened with deportation by an immigration officer at Inverness airport.

      As I noted, after Craig commented on this incident-
      1.The deportation order was stayed by an English Tory immigration minister
      2. The initial decision to deport the Indian woman with 2 British children back to Dubai was taken by whom exactly (the newspaper report doesn’t name, or give details about, the official concerned) ??
      3 Perhaps he was an expat English Tory voter moved by the Home Office up to Inverness ?
      4 Or was he a locally recruited Scot who, statistically speaking, isn’t likely to be a Tory voter, as they are so thin on the ground up there ?

      In the instance of the official making the initial decision, which of the options (3 or 4) given above would you put your money on Mr P ?

    • Maria Miller

      I’m utterly appalled at this and i live about as far south as you can go. Not all of us south of the border think like this. We just can’t seem to get our voice heard.

  • Ba'al Zevul

    Laggan is hardly in the sticks, in Highland terms. It’s on an A road. With supermarkets in Dalwhinnie, Aviemore and Kingussie, although the Zielsdorfs have probably been providing a valuable service to the carless, I very much doubt that their store was a viable proposition. The pattern of Local Stores for Local People failing in the face of competition in price and convenience, and being sold off to the next white settler to arrive with stars in his eyes, is not confined to the Highlands, or indeed Scotland*. Still, accepting that the Home Office has picked “the low-hanging fruit”, forgive me if I imagine what our theoretical humanitarians – to say nothing of the inevitable village claque – would say if it hadn’t. ‘They’re being allowed to stay because they’re white’, perhaps.’ Not fair’, as another bunch of smuggled brown would-be immigrants from Elbonia** is rounded up and returned to sender instead.

    Now I do realise you’re not saying either-or here. You want to let anyone who wants to stay, stay. But the general shortage of employment in Scotland in general, and very particularly in the rural Highlands, is certainly going to make that difficult. To say nothing, again in the Highlands, of the marked tendency of new arrivals to become highly disillusioned with the romance of the place, realise you can’t eat scenery, and to bugger off again.

    *Another cycle starts in West Runton, famed birthplace of our host:
    http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/former_1920s_tea_room_re_opens_in_west_runton_1_4060297

    **Yes. I’m an antielbonite. The shame.

    • Ba'al Zevul

      PS, as it’s fairly routine to call me a xenophobic racist when the conversation here approaches the topic of immigration, I will add that the best hope for Laggan’s unmotorised customers (those with motors will continue to do a weekly shop in Inverness) is to encourage a Bangladeshi entrepreneur (preferably trained at the Dhaka University of Hard Knocks) to gut the place, streamline it, sign up to one of the convenience store wholesalers, rather than wasting time doing a weekly stock-up at the Inverness cash-and-carry, and run it with the aid of his underpaid cousins. That model works anywhere.

      • nevermind

        get a bicycle Ba’al, not everyone can get to supermarkets and they are reliant on their local; shops for basics when the snow hits, so good on them for keeping it open.
        That employment in the Highlands is not as good as in towns and Cities is obvious, nobody ever talks of reforestation, but to use this case to make the home office look good is utterly futile.
        Many others, who are not upright and straight about their goals and ambitions will be kept here, for undisclosed HO reasons, no need to defend crap policies in the absence of enough staff to change immigration policy.

        you might have voted for Brexit, I could not possibly agree with it, its just too far rem,oved from history as to ring true.

        • Ba'al Zevul

          Nevermind, we’ll have to agree to disagree on this one. I’m not trying to make the Home Office look good, though, merely trying to counter what looks to me like special pleading by Craig. Your remarks on the weather are obvious, and I acknowledged the importance of local outlets, but once again, Laggan isn’t Ben Macdhui as far as snow is concerned, and I repeat, most of the grocery trade is done (often via Range Rover) with the neighbouring towns. The Local Shop arguments may hold in Gairloch – and even there the weekly shopping trip to Dingwall or Inverness was routine – but it doesn’t hold along the Spey valley route.

          I am aware you probably have a dog in this fight. But I reserve the right to my own opinion on the need for immigration controls, and the maintenance of distinct national identities…whether British, French, German, (even Russian), because I am fucking sick of the world being homogenised for the benefit of global markets.

          • Ba'al Zevul

            PS Funny how “diversity”‘s touted as wonderful within the country while every country you visit looks more and more like America. Isn’t it?

          • nevermind

            no dogs here. just merely making a case for their children really as they are in the majority in the Zieldorf family, silly of me, looking at the voice and clout children have in this country they” be thrown first into the boat.

      • fred

        They raided the Indian restaurant in Wick a while back and took away nine hard working decent young men who love Scotland and would dearly love to stay here being useful to the community working as waiters and chefs.

        Strangely Elsie the Selfie didn’t show up to have her photo taken with them.

        • Ba'al Zevul

          There’s this chronic shortage of waiters and chefs in Scotland, isn’t there? Incidentally, the Chinese restaurant in Thurso is, I hope no longer the worst of its kind on the planet, and has perhaps vielded its crown to the Royal, which is the only place I have ever eaten fish-flavoured cauliflower.

          But I am sure you will agree with my point, that it would be grossly unfair not to deport nice white people (even if they have applied for residence through the approved channels) while turning a blind eye to non-whites (even if they arrived, as to my knowledge some do) clandestinely, through a network of Midlands fixers.

          • fred

            I have a friend who was in similar circumstances. He was born in Britain to Bangladeshi parents, they returned to Bangladesh when he was in his late teens but he stayed. He spent some time in Dungavel but it was all sorted eventually and he’s married with three children now.

            It wasn’t in any papers, there were no campaigns and he wasn’t invited to any SNP conferences but then he isn’t white middle class and well educated.

          • Republicofscotland

            Reading through your comments of late, it would appear you have a friend for every occasion, how convenient.

    • Brus MacGallah

      As a matter of Interest have you ever been to Laggan? Roads designated as A roads in the Highlands/Gàidhealtachd are often A roads because they are the ONLY roads. And where is the supermarket in Dalwhinnie? I’d love to visit.

  • Gwen

    How absolutely ridiculous! My heart goes out to this family who must now be extremely worried about their future. I can’t believe anyone would agree they should be deported; small rursl communities need all the help they can get and it sounds like they have made a fine job of this. Well done Craig for sharing this story.

  • Kevin

    I’m gasping with incredulity as I read this, audibly calling on Jesus Christ. The world gone mad, Scotland oppressed as in the age of Robert Louis Stevenson. Get us out of this horrific Union!

    • TT

      Kevin,

      Like you, I have been calling upon the Name of the Lord. The injustice is awful! Why are they doing this – and this family are suffering while every banking swindler and violent criminal gets the support of the state.

      TT

      • Loony

        Yes this is heartbreaking news. Obviously of no relevance whatsoever is that of 1 million plus refugees admitted to Germany no fewer than 54 people have obtained employment with any of the 30 largest employers in Germany (and 50 of the 54 were with Deutsche Post).

        There is a problem and that is there 100’s of millions (perhaps billions) of people who are unwanted for any economic purpose whatsoever.

        There is, and will be, no shortage of individual cases to cry over – but it will not change the inescapable fact that vast swathes of humanity are now facing the reality of the words of Joe Strrummer “There aint no need for ya, Go straight to Hell boys”

    • Alan

      I somehow don’t think Jesus Christ is interested, after all, did he not say “Render unto Caesar……..”?

      Hey, I’m not the Christian, God-Boy, but I seem to have read the Bible better than you. Matthew 22:21 I do believe.

  • Republicofscotland

    Frau May and the goose steppers, along with countless useless, chinless wonders, who see themselves as aristocrats, want to keep Scotland vacant, and use it mostly as some sort of, hunting and fishing reserve.

    Scotlands’s population will never grow whilst it is, still partially under the yoke of Westminster, and its present governments xenophobic ideology.

    Independence is really the only way forward, for Scotland to grow its population, and attract those who want to live and work in Scotland, but can’t due to the xenophobic Home Office’s anti-Johnny Foreigner rules. The goosesteppers believe, in keeping Scotland small and managable.

    The Brain family spent all their saving and ended up in £30,000 pounds of debt, trying to come and live and work in Scotland, at the time of applying their visa was totally legal, the Home office under Herr Brokenshire, shifted the goal posts on the family mid-way through, in an attempt to deter them from living in Scotland.

    Who could afford to come to Scotland under those circumstances, only to be told you can’t stay, by a xenophobic Home office hellbent on keeping Scotland’s population low.

    There are hundreds of similar heartbreaking cases, of families and individuals with good intentions, who want to come and live and make their lives in Scotland, because they like what they see, but can’t, because of the Home office and their xenophobic decisions. Those hundreds or even thousands of cases, don’t make it into the media, as the Brain’s case did.

    Again I repeat if Scotland’s population, and its economy are to grow, it must have independence. To hell with the narrow minded xenophobic bigots, who hark back to the inglorious day of the empire. Those shameful days are, and should remain confined to the annuls of history.

    • Loony

      Reason would not appear to be your strong point. Whether the UK government is following xenophobic policies or not – here are some facts.

      The population of England and Wales currently stands at around 56 million. Substantially every one of those 56 million people are free to relocate to Scotland should they choose. There is no law or government policy that would prevent them from doing so,

      Net immigration to the UK stands at an annualized rate of around 320,000. Once admitted to the UK anyone can settle wherever they choose in the UK. Therefore all 320,000 could lawfully elect to settle in Scotland.

      It is estimated that there are 3 million Irish passport holders living outside of Ireland. It is possible that around the world up to 70 million people may qualify for an Irish passport. Whatever the exact number it is clear that there are millions of people who could lawfully settle in Scotland by virtue of their holding, or obtaining, an Irish passport.

      Ignoring the complexities caused by the relationship of the UK with the EU then it is clear that there are many 10’s of millions of people who have the right to live in Scotland and their rights will not be impacted by any alteration to the UK/EU relationship.

      If it is the case that Scotland needs more people then perhaps a good place to start would be to focus on the 800,000 Scots born people who currently live in England. Surely it is not your case that 800,000 people are being held hostage by English aristocrats.

        • Loony

          How remiss of me to fail to appreciate that there are some who confuse ad hominem invective with reason.

          How about if I write “You are a semi literate moron” Does that constitute a winning argument from your perspective?

      • Habbabkuk

        Good post, Loony (12h52) and a crushing reply to ELIE’s fatuous point about “growing the population of Scotland”.

    • Ba'al Zevul

      Independence is really the only way forward, for Scotland to grow its population, and attract those who want to live and work in Scotland, but can’t due to the xenophobic Home Office’s anti-Johnny Foreigner rules. The goosesteppers believe, in keeping Scotland small and managable.

      Why do you want the population to grow? Norway and Iceland are doing fine As is Singapore. And why do you, in the event of ever getting it, want to surrender your sovereignty to an ever-more centralised Europe? Don’t get me wrong, I’m very much for Scottish independence (if and only if that’s what the Scots want), and if I still lived there* I’d be rooting for it, but there are some questions being evaded here. I’d want to see a detailed business plan if I were a Scot.

      *I left because I couldn’t find work there…I do hope you can address that issue before you decide you need more workers.

      • Republicofscotland

        “Why do you want the population to grow? ”

        _______

        Well Baal, it’s common knowledge that Scotland has a aging population, which will peak in twenty odd years or so. You yourself admit you left because of the lack of quality employment, as have thousands of others. Independence will allow Scotland to see a influx of people with varying degrees of skills, and help bolster the economy, by creating jobs, and inturn help provide for those of a older age, through taxation.

        I find it difficult at times to compare the likes of Norway to Scotland, Norway has and has had all the levers of government to decide what’s best for its people, oil being a prime example, Scotland however doesn’t.

        As for surrendering to more to a centralised Europe, I don’t see it that way, all the 28 nations that are in the EU, I’m including the UK, as they are still a member, have sovereignty, yes they surrendered some of that to the EU, but so did the other 27 nations, it’s a small price to pay for the largest trade bloc in the world, which supports hundreds of thousands of jobs throughout the UK alone.

        I’d like to see the creation of several more cities, throughout Scotland to cater for the influx, there’s certainly scope to do so.

        • Ba'al Zevul

          Thanks for taking the trouble to think about that, RoS. Many don’t. But I don’t think jobs are created simply by people coming into an area. That may be true for kebab shops and Polish grocers, but they tend only to employ the incomers; also they’re service jobs, ultimately dependent ion there being productive industry.. And how about getting the 127,000 currently unemployed in Scotland before contemplating pumping up the numbers? There is no shortage of available labour in Scotland, even if you discount the seasonal half-jobs on which the tourist sector depends, even if you assume that half the unemployed are workshy unemployables, which they very definitely aren’t.. Before inviting aliens to share your limited resources, it might make more sense to prioritise training and investment in production. The alternative energy sector beckons, as does R&D, where Scotland has a good track record

  • Ewen Carmichael

    I’m fom the Hughlands, born in Carrbridge, so have felt the tragedy of the Clearances, for the souls still linger. Luckily, my family were saved those tragic circumstances…but what I can’t understand is why the SNP simply don’t say NO.
    The whole eposide beggars belief. Those crooks in the Home Office are the Jackboots of life. Resist. It is the only way….

  • Ronnie Dunnett

    No words on stupidity but Stupid is what Stupid does.. The UK Government have proven there incompetence and greed . The Labour stooges and Tory terrorists will be remembered in history its such a tragedy allegedly we voted to stay under the rule of those buffoons allegedly.
    My heart is hurt to think this is happening in my country ! England is looking like a country to fall into civil war ! the trip wires are there and this will lead to a world war to distract a population presently in turmoil … rally under the flag .. As a former Royal Marine Commando they the government disgust me ! Watch London 28th of this month ! Parliament Square.

  • Bryan knox

    Absolutely crazy situation! Can the Scottish government get involved and offer some help?

  • Jennifer Long

    The Zielsdorfs sound like just the sort of people who ‘make a difference’ and enhance British life and economy which the Tories claim to want to encourage. But of course, such quality measurements are not those employed by the Home Office. The process, in reality, is about dispassionate box-ticking rather than about warm-blooded human lives. Compassion is a word oft used on Tory lips, but rarely practised. There are probably countless others in similar situations who are facing deportation.

    Appeasing the Brexiteers seems to be gaining momentum just when we should be challenging the whole sorry vote and start standing up for what 59% of us believe is right.

    I do hope the Zieldorfs get a reprieve. The very best of luck.

    • Loony

      Maybe it is time for a little less appeasement. For example, let us not appease those who appear to be unable to count. 51.9% of participants in the EU referendum voted to leave.Turnout was 72.2%. No views and no motives can be ascribed to the 27.8% of the electorate who chose not to participate in the vote. The constitution of the 59% of the people you refer to remains a mystery.

      Still perhaps an inability to count will shortly prove to be an evolutionary benefit. For Deutsche Bank, the holder of some $49 trillion of derivatives, nears the end of its lifespan and it is not clear that the human mind can comprehend numbers as large as 49 trillion.

    • Ba'al Zevul

      Ah. You want passionate box-ticking.

      (from form to be sent to intending residents of Tir-nan-Og):
      1. Do you greet each day with a sunny smile before going to help Granny Macdonald go to Pilates?
      2. Foccaccia or sourdough?
      3. How many customers daily have had their lives saved by your BOGOF offer on baked beans?
      ….to be continued.

      Point being, exempting the apparently worthy (who will then exploit every opening to obtain the chairmanship of the community council and run things their way, btw) still implies box-ticking. And offices to create the boxes, in Gujerati, Tagalog, Albanian and, obviously Gaelic, although no incomers speak it and would be looked at askance for their accent if they did.

  • Velofello

    Rules are for the guidance of the wise, and for the obedience of fools.

    A system that does not allow for flexibilty of interpretation is flawed.To apply the same residency criteria for an underpopulated highlands of Scotland to an overpopulated SE England is wrong. And exercised by a Westminster government seemingly uncaring of issues beyond SE England.

    • Ba'al Zevul

      .To apply the same residency criteria for an underpopulated highlands of Scotland to an overpopulated SE England is wrong

      Why?

  • MaryRose Fitzsimmons

    This is just ridiculous and petty bureaucracy gone mad..and, as you say, Westminster has no idea of life in the Highlands.

  • David

    If you fail to meet the requirements of your visa any where in the world you will be asked to leave. Simple as. Frankly I’m getting sick of Scots labelling the English as racist. They are no more or less racist than Scots.

    My bet is that the deportation proceedings started BEFORE Brexit and so your assertation that its Brexit linked is probably bollocks.

    As too loosing their money, that’s sad and I don’t like to hear of any business owner loosing their money, but it happens every single day to nice hard working people who are just trying to provide for their families. They knew the risks, they knew what was required, they opened a business in the hope of making money, not providing a community service, and it has failed. Its no sadder than anyone else who lost their life savings in a business venture.

    Why did they not create another job ? Trade at a loss for a while until the immigration dept. bugger off, its not rocket science.

    • Loony

      What is racist about verifying someones age?

      Should people be able to claim a state pension on the sole basis that they claim to be of pensionable age? Should an infant be able to enlist into the army because the infant claims to be of majority age?

      Should a defense for pedophilia be that the child claimed to be an adult?

      • Macky

        “What is racist about verifying someones age? ”

        Where did you get that from ?! Read Sharp Ears comment without adding your own imputations; the point was that people who point out & draw attention to physical differences of Mediterranean & Middle Eastern children, who do generally happen to physical mature earlier than Northern European children do, are doing it because they trying all means to make it hard for refugees to be allow to live here, basically because they are racists.

    • Anon1

      How many of these adult children are you putting up, Sharp Ears?

      They throw away their documents, lie about their age and gain entry so that the whole family can join them with free housing, healthcare and bennies for life.

      Refugees they are not. You pay for it if you want to.

      • Habbabkuk

        Anon!

        I suspect that “Sharp Ears” will be not keener to put up a refugee or two than was a previous female commenter whose name I am not allowed to mention on pain of getting my post deleted.

      • Habbabkuk

        And incidentally, I note that not a single one of the UK-haters on here has welcomed the UK govt’s decision to admit a number of children for the purpose of family reunification.

        This is exemplative of how the obsessive UK-haters on here operate.

        Firstly, they bitch that the UK govt is not allowing in any children to rejoin their families.

        Then when the UK govt does admit some children, they go silent for a short while in order to collect their thoughts (and of course they do not welcome the govt’s decision).

        Finally, having collected their thoughts, they quickly bitch about the UK govt checking the ages of said children.

        It is truly pathetic 🙂

        • Alan

          Habba, I totally agree with you. It is so pathetic that people I once thought were honest have become as big liars as the people they hated.

        • Macky

          ” they quickly bitch about the UK govt checking the ages of said children.”

          Not true you you deliberate twister, the Post you are responding to specifically referred to “Some of the country’s racists” are objecting based on the physical appearances of these refugee children; you can fool & poison the mind of Posters like Alan, but to me you are always so transparent, that I’m amazed others can’t see through you too.

      • Alan

        Do you know what Anon1? This morning I had to attend at the dentist and there on the forms it asked my ethnic origin. It did so 6 months ago too, and a year ago, and two years ago, and even further back, but Craig and company try to pretend this is down to the present Tory government, but they are simply lying and nobody with a brain is fooled for one moment; it just makes them look dishonest.

    • Theresa's cilice

      The witch came and saw and killed gaddafy, now Europe has to pay the price. And 140 million Egyptians have not yet entered the fray and 5 million Kurds are waiting to settle in Scotland ready to serve hagis kebab, when the Turkish civil war gathers pace. Sarkozy and BHL will find out someday “what they have done” when half of Chad is in Paris, let Garcon eat orse meat lasagna instead of frog legs will be the DSKs refrain !

  • Joseph Crane

    Stupid Home Office. No consideration for human beings just ideology of a far right government

  • John Goss

    My suspicion is that having the name Zielsdorf makes them more vulnerable to being deported than if they were called Smith, or Murray, or Goss in this xenophobic society Theresa May has created.

    I wish them luck. As far as I’m concerned they belong here.

  • Republicofscotland

    Another somewhat significant story today, is that the TTIP deal and the CETA deal have stalled, both have still to get by the boardroom stage, though CETA, has been agreed by some nations, Belgium however vehemently opposes the CETA deal in particular. The freedom of EU members to veto deals becomes apparent, when you see that Germany gave CETA the green light, but Belgium’s parliament ruled against it. Will both deals reappear amended? Who knows?

    However it does show the complexity of trying to thrash out deals, it becomes very foreboding for the UK, when you add in that 27 nations must agree to what the UK wants, is that likely?

    Still, it could be CETA and the TTIP deals come to the UK, after Brexit has been concluded, would these deals cost jobs, on both sides of the Atlantic, I think they would. Post EU, the UK could set up deals with the Gulf Co-operation Council, which includes the Arab peninsula states. These states can’t trade with the EU due to having terrible human rights records, Westminster will fit in nicely, as by then we’ll have ditch any notion of human rights.

    http://www.thenational.scot/politics/alyn-smith-decisions-about-trade-deals-will-have-knock-on-effect-post-brexit.23693

    • Republicofscotland

      Meanwhile food and clothing is set to rise, because inflation has risen, and will probably continue to do so, is it because Sterling has almost went belly up? No doubt George Soros will, make a killing from another Black Wednesday, which might be just around the corner.

      It has been said that the total and utter uncertainty that surrounds Brexit, is the main reason for Sterling, becoming Monopoly money.

      Inflation will lower sales and wages, and inevitably cost jobs, and Brexit hasn’t even been triggered yet. By the time Brexit reaches the boardrooms of Europe, and the EU reps veto Westminster’s ambitions, Venezuela, will look like a veritable paradise, when compared to the dis-United Kingdom.

      That will be the right time to initiate indyref 2.

      • bevin

        “It has been said that the total and utter uncertainty that surrounds Brexit, is the main reason for Sterling, becoming Monopoly money…”
        Whoever said it is wrong. The economy has been teetering on the brink of disaster since Thatcherism’s birth. After half a century spent asset stripping the economy, wasting resources on foreign policy adventures that GA Henty would have sneered at and corrupting the popular mind with cheap propaganda and childish ideology promoted by such sewers of drivelling as the Murdoch Press, the return to basics is inevitable. Capitalism whether wrapped in Stars and Stripes, the EU’s colours or tartan is leading to barbarism.
        Rosa Luxemburg explained what the alternative is: in her day it was known as socialism.

        • lysias

          John Kerry, who ought to know better, used “barbarianism” as though it were a word the other day. He accused Russia and the Assad government of it.

          • lysias

            I just heard on RT Hollande use the French word “barbarisme” for actions in Aleppo. I wonder if Kerry, who speaks French, was mistranslating the French word.

    • Alan

      “Another somewhat significant story today, is that the TTIP deal and the CETA deal have stalled”

      If you think that is today’s news you must be living in a time warp RoS.

  • K Crosby

    ~~~~~This case is a prime example of how ridiculous it is to rule the Highlands from London. The law is framed to deal with the immigration situation in London or Birmingham.~~~~~

    Are you implying that these people deserve preferential treatment?

    • lysias

      I think Craig is implying that a Scottish authority that frames rules for Scottish conditions would make a lot more sense.

      • Alan

        “I think Craig is implying that a Scottish authority that frames rules for Scottish conditions would make a lot more sense.”

        They have one and she resides at Balmoral, but they like to pretend otherwise.

    • fred

      What he is doing is grievance mining, that’s what Nationalists do when they aren’t banging their fists and making ultimatums, play at being victims.

      Remember what they did to us in Versailles…sorry I mean the clearances.

  • Paul Archer

    Absolutely Ridiculous. You can’t believe this. Does T May know? What is anybody doing. Can labour help?

  • colin oakford

    As you say it is absurd
    But the problem is it is not just an adminstrative box that has to be crossed
    there is a complex human unit worth a campaign

  • Paul Casbourne

    It’s is breath taking that we have Putin desputing oil revenue sources, mercenary alegences and point in the finger at the west. It’s hard to believe that on a global scale we would be at the route of funding conflicts as well as causing them.
    Then we have Boris, who takes Brexit, which takes it to. Whole new level of no ethics. Is this article helping us get behind our representative political system?
    Well it is al happening as predicted now. This is very sad reading.

  • Republicofscotland

    Detained and tortured for 14 years without charged, Mohamedou Ould Slahi, has finally been released, by the land of the free, at Guantanamo bay.

    Mr Slahi has never been charged with any offence, the Great Satan, (consecutive US governments) bleat on about human rights, when it suit them to do so.

    The UN headquarters, should be moved out of the USA, as soon as possible.

    https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/oct/17/guantanamo-diary-author-mohamedou-ould-slahi-detention

  • Lynda Devlin

    We are rushing towards the precipice. This is really bad. Are they trying to provoke another world war?

    • Alan

      What an excellent piece of journalism Fred, and doesn’t this blog of late prove it to be true. I bet it gets deleted by morning.

      • glenn_uk

        How much do you want to bet then?

        The rules of moderation have been set out pretty clearly. An awful lot of whining goes on by people who persistently flout those rules, and get a post deleted occasionally. Seen any bitching of that sort come from posters here with some actual integrity? I certainly haven’t!

  • Jillian Steyne

    A sorry tale of injustice to a whole family! They are providing a service to the community and are clearly valued and well liked. How ironic that just as the government has dragged their feet disgracefully over the unaccompanied refugees in the Calais jungle who are at last being let into this country, that this family are being deported. It seems too that no-one is willing to step into their shoes and provide the same service to the community. I had thought that you could admit people from abroad if there was no-one here who could be found to do their job!

    • Republicofscotland

      The jack boot johnnies, have been using filibuster tactics to block backbenchers bills, these useful bills include;

      A plan to abolish NHS hospital car parking charges for carers, a bill to give first aid training to children in schools, and a plan to require rented homes to be fit for human habitation. Many of these bills had cross-party support.

      But alas a small group of xenophobes, aka Tories, use up all the debating time by filibustering.

      http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/filibuster-ban-mps-parliament-uk-house-of-commons-procedure-committee-a7366971.html

      • glenn_uk

        RoS: Does Scotland charge for parking in hospitals? Do they have the power to waive those charges, if they wanted to?

        Here in Wales, we have not been charged at hospital car parks for a number of years. Likewise, we haven’t had prescriptions charges either.

        That is a total disgrace on the part of the filthy Tories – one would suppose they actually enjoyed causing poverty, misery and death. It must be fine sport for them to watch, read and laugh about. An excuse that they just like saving money is utterly bogus, given how they couldn’t care less about massive fraud and waste of public taxpayer money – as long as it’s going to their rich cronies, the profiteer class.

        • Republicofscotland

          Glenn.

          As far as I know, car park charges apply at Glasgow Royal infirmary, and one or two other hospitals, as they were PFI built car parks, under the last Labour government, pre-2007.

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