UK slavery... the 2019 version.

[Workingman]

A gang of eight Poles had control over more than 400 other Poles and all of the gang have just been convicted and jailed.

They bussed over the vulnerable, ex-prisoners, homeless, alcoholics and people with mental illness and set them to work in recycling centres, poultry factories and farms. They set up bank accounts, which they had control over, and fraudulently claimed benefits for the 'workers'. They were housed in slums and slept four to a room on filthy mattresses.

The whole thing is utterly disgusting and the jail keys should be thrown away.

Yet as I sit here I am asking myself how did WE, our authorities, those paid good money to operates our various agencies, allow this to happen. What checks were made on the victims when they arrived? When and by whom? How did they get NI numbers to claim benefits? Were they ever interviewed? Did the number of foreigners all claiming benefits and living at the same address - many more than the house could legally hold - not flag up any suspicions?

This whole thing cannot just end with the jailing of the gang members. Some very serious questions need answers from members of government agencies and, if needs be, heads must roll.

We need more non-PC cynics in certain roles who are not afraid to ask awkward questions or go do unannounced inspections, especially in the well known, invoice free, types of work.

[TheOstrich]

Yet as I sit here I am asking myself how did WE, our authorities, those paid good money to operates our various agencies, allow this to happen. What checks were made on the victims when they arrived? When and by whom? How did they get NI numbers to claim benefits? Were they ever interviewed? Did the number of foreigners all claiming benefits and living at the same address - many more than the house could legally hold - not flag up any suspicions?

Sorry, mate, just two words.

European Union.

Freedom of labour, freedom of movement, just nod 'em through and don't ask questions. I'm quite sure today's case is merely the tip of a substantial iceberg, especially in the agricultural field.

[Workingman]

Ossie! The EU?

It's us who give them the NI numbers and sign them on at the Jobcentre and give them benefits, keep the database of addresses, and set income tax levels.

Sorry, but our systems and those working within them are complicit in letting these people down.

And, AND, you used more than two words, but I do like the agricultural field pun.

[medsec222]

Government departments are just too lax in the way they operate. Freedom of movement doesn't help - it makes it too easy for these criminal gangs to operate under the radar with very little chance of being caught. In this case they have been caught, but how many others are getting away with it and using vulnerable people as their slaves.

Similarly, having worked in the NHS for the whole of my working life and consider it a privilege, I am quite shocked at the stance the BMA have taken regarding treating health tourists. Of course doctors shouldn't have to keep a check on who they are treating, they are far too busy. But nevertheless, the Hospital Trusts should employ administrative staff to check the credentials of those from overseas who are seeking hospital treatment in the UK . Doctors who expect the taxpayer to pick up the bill when health tourists renege on payment and disappear overseas, don't have quite the same attitude when it comes to their private patients - they expect payment up front and I don't blame them for that. They have obviously seen what happens in the NHS.

[Workingman]

Meds, I agree. It is another systemic failure... and we have more than a few.

Three members of my extended family work for the Home Office and I am thoroughly pissed off with their PC take on just about everything. It is as though they are on everyone's side except our own people.

Another works in the prison service and he might as well be titled "carer" rather than "prison officer".

[cromwell]

There is a massive and growing world wide push for open borders. Mainly driven by big business but aided by supra-national bodies like the UN and EU who want the nation state done away with (imo).
Borders are a nuisance to big business. They slow trucks down, you might have to pay import duties, etc etc.

And unfortunately the political will to defend our borders seems to be pretty weak. "How can you stop all the movement of people around the world?" cry the liberals.
Well, we managed it more or less OK for many years but now we can't? That's not very likely is it? Trump is only trying to keep a tsunami of immigrants out of the USA be building a wall on the Mexican border, by my God, listen to the squawking such an idea creates.

The more people there are in a country, the more profit can be made in that country all things being equal. So big business imo is all for unlimited mass immigration. The law of supply and demand will keep wages down, and demand for food, white goods, houses, cars, clothes, you name it, will be up.

Admittedly also up will be the amount of child benefit paid, pensions paid, demand for school places, new hospitals, new roads, etc etc. BUT - all of that falls on the state to pay for, not on business. As some wise man pointed out, profits have been privatised and costs socialised.

The crisis of slavery, mass immigration an social problems is a crisis caused by the demands of multi-national capitalism. And how we get around that I don't know.

[Workingman]

All of this stuff about borders, immigration and big business is true... but slavery!

Sorry guys, but you are falling into the trap they have set for you. They want you to gloss over the slavery and the crap systems and people put in place to so-called stop it in favour of you having a go at the political capitalist economic system.

They love that. They can handle that. They have been doing so for years, and will continue to do so.

Meanwhile, back in the slum areas of our towns and cities, vulnerable people are being forced into slavery and treated worse than lab rats. They are sent out to work in the black economy where unscrupulous employers, not multi-nationals, pay them a pittance - often cash-in-hand. The money is taken off them on pay day and put into what are nominally 'their' accounts, but which are controlled by the slavery gang masters, and the slaves are then given an 'allowance' to live on.

I am all for having a go at the environmental and climate destroying never ending growth capitalist system. I do it myself with great gusto. But with all due respect modern slavery is a different subject.

[cromwell]

In this particular case though perhaps a border check could have helped. I very much doubt whether this is the first offence for this group of Polish criminals.
It was also apparent that authorities were blissfully unaware of what was going on until they were informed by a charity.
Maybe our police aren't paying enough attention to this problem.

[Workingman]

I can't put the blame on the police alone. We are supposed to have joined up government but it is starting to look like the agencies are not talking to each other.

We are not in Schengen so everyone has to come through passport control yet we do not know who is here. Those from overseas, inc EU, who want work or claim benefits have to apply for a NI number and are suppose to attend an interview at the Jobcentre. To claim benefits or pay many types of bills you need a bank account. Anyone continually topping up their account with cash only should be flagged up under money laundering rules especially if they are from overseas.

Something isn't working and people are suffering.

[cromwell]

We are not in Schengen so everyone has to come through passport control yet we do not know who is here.

This is what gets me. I remember years ago ex-B on DD pointing out that the authorities in the Philippines know who is there, but apparently this is too difficult for the UK?
No, it isn't too difficult but successive governments cba, there is no political will to do the job even though people want the job doing!