Migration is not new. The movement of people has been part of defining cultures throughout history. Asylum seekers could be seen as the thin (contemporary) end of this historical wedge. But is the furore and disproportionate amount of political activity dedicated to relatively small numbers of recent immigrants to the UK justified? Is the black market that has sprung up around this ‘trade’ in humanity worth the loss of lives of 19 Chinese cockle pickers in Lancashire?

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