@UKHomeOffice sick joke about Stowaways


by Sunny Hundal    
September 17, 2010 at 8:33 pm

The Home Office Twitter account published this today:

Stowaways found by border officials among boxes of Ferrero Rocher chocolates. What would the ambassador say? http://bit.ly/btuDJk

The press release it points to states:

The stowaways, originally from Iran and Iraq, have now been handed over by the UK Border Agency to the French authorities.

Because Iraq and Iran are such lovely places to live in, that the Home Office can make a joke about them. Haha – look at those damn illegal immigrants, we showed them! Pass the chocolate!

Via Cath Elliott

The tweet has already been called out by Migrant Rights, who said it “mocks immigrants”.


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About the author
Sunny Hundal is editor of LC. Also: on Twitter, at Pickled Politics and Guardian CIF.
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Reader comments


1. Jeremy Poynton

[deleted]

2. George W. Potter

Sunny, grow up and get a sense of humour. This isn’t moving inhabitants, if it had been escaped criminals hiding amongst the chocolates someone could have made the same joke and you wouldn’t have had a problem with it. The joke comes from the adverts for the chocolates not from poking fun at immigrants.

And they say that righties don’t have a sense of humour.

3. Jim Humphreys

This is pretty weak tea, I don’t see how this “joke” was in any way connected to the plight of the immigrants, it was a quip about a chocolate bar.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4P-nZZkQqTc

Oh meissuer, with these illegal immigrants you’re really spoiling us!

What a fuss about nothing. ”Migrant Rights”? They were already in France – what rights are we talking about? The right to circumvent EU asylum laws and go breaking into lorries?
I think this is where the left brings itself into disrepute. If you think that borders are evil or something, then fair enough. And if you think that asylum seekers should have the choice to choose the country they go to, then fair enough too.

But all this ”OMG – someone told a joke” stuff is daft.
It’s the opposite of the online Daily Mail readers comments section.
And the two are about as bad as each other.

Are you not being a tad sensitive about this? I think you take yourself, your identity politics and your obsession with race and class far too seriously. The Irish have had to endure much worse rude jokes about them for years.

6. Jeremy Poynton

Look – the left has spent a lot of the past thirteen years getting upset on behalf of those who can’t be bothered to. It’s pathetic, and infantile.


Reactions: Twitter, blogs
  1. Liberal Conspiracy

    @UKHomeOffice makes sick joke about Stowaways http://bit.ly/bjcsJJ

  2. Ryan Bestford

    RT @libcon: @UKHomeOffice makes sick joke about Stowaways http://bit.ly/bjcsJJ

  3. Get Political Fund » Blog Archive » @UKHomeOffice makes sick joke about Stowaways | Liberal Conspiracy

    [...] Original post: @UKHomeOffice makes sick joke about Stowaways | Liberal Conspiracy [...]

  4. Igor Simanovski

    @UKHomeOffice sick joke about Stowaways | Liberal Conspiracy http://bit.ly/cOWqyU

  5. Mili

    Way to go@UKHomeOffice http://bit.ly/b88W4q Ugh.

  6. george hopwood

    RT @elmyra: Way to go@UKHomeOffice http://bit.ly/b88W4q Ugh.

  7. Dilwyn’s Daily Digest – Saturday 18th September 2010 « Aled-Dilwyn Fisher

    [...] the ConDem Home Office now thinks Twitter jokes about immigrants are cool (via Sunny Hundal at Liberal [...]

  8. Naadir Jeewa

    Reading: @UKHomeOffice sick joke about Stowaways: The Home Office Twitter account published this today:
    Stowaways… http://bit.ly/9qnLgS

  9. Elliott Hoskin

    @UKHomeOffice sick joke about Stowaways | Liberal Conspiracy: This isn't moving inhabitants, if it had been escape… http://bit.ly/9WHYTL

  10. Political Scrapbook

    @david_singleton Perhaps they could merge Home Office and Daily Express newsroom? ;-) http://is.gd/foIGC





  • We have a tight comments policy aimed at fostering constructive debate.
  • We believe in free speech but not your right to abuse our space.
  • Abusive, sarcastic or silly comments may be deleted.
  • Misogynist, racist, homophobic and xenophobic comments will be deleted.
  • Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy.

 
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