UK immigration in control

A roadshow campaign by UK immigration officials around England has seen children fingerprinted, pensioners handcuffed and families locked into immigration service cell vans as part of a PR drive to dispel myths that surround immigration issues.

The series of events that took place at county fairs across southern England and was organised by the UK Border Agency.

Feedback from the initiative said that 239 visitors had improved their opinion of the work of the immigration service, while 13 said it was the same.

But migrant support groups were dubious as to the value of such a campaign. A spokesman for Refugee Action, quoted on the Guardian website, said: “We appreciate UK immigration officers do a hard job in difficult circumstances.

“But we remain to be convinced the way to dispel myths about immigration is to dress members of the immigration service up like extras from The Sweeney whilst running around fingerprinting children, handcuffing pensioners and locking families in arrest vans.”

The week-long PR push came in the same week that Baroness Scotland was fined by immigration officials over her involvement in employing a Tongan housekeeper who did not have a valid UK visa.