16 The press in Christmas

Christmas is meant to be joyous, but the press often reported immigration tragedies during Christmas…

• 1976: Thousands of girls from immigrant families were homeless in London.

• 1990: A 7-year-old South African immigrant in north London could not reunited with his grandparents because of a failed visa application.

• 1993: Over 20 Jamaicans were deported from Britain.

• 1996: Over 170 illegal Pakistani immigrants were arrested in Greece after a deadly boat trip

How do you feel when you read news like this during Christmas?

What effects could the press produce by highlighting that these sad stories happened during Christmas?

Of course, the press reported something positive too!

Reference:

Huckerby, Martin, ‘8,000 young people may be sleeping rough at Christmas’, The Times, p.4 (30 November 1976)

Phillips, Angela, ‘Mother and child hut no reunion: Balo was hoping to see his grandparents for Christmas. But harsh visa regulations have prevented their visit’, The Guardian, p.36 (12 December 1990)

Nelson, Dean, Beaumont, Peter, ‘Jamaicans deported in season of ill will’, The Observer, p.2 (26 December 1993)

Hooper, John, ‘Migrants claim 300 die at sea’, The Guardian, p.10 (6 January 1997)