Posted in: Comics, Current News | Tagged: beano, cartoonists, chris riddell, Guy Venables, phoenix, private eye, quentin blake, Ralph Steadman, Robert Jenrick, Small Boats Week, terry gilliam, viz

Cartoonists Vs Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick & Small Boats Week

British Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick has come under criticism for ordering that cartoon murals in children's asylum centres be removed

Great Britain is currently undergoing a crisis, largely of its own making. Yes, another one. Immigration into Britain has often been a hot topic when it has been useful for politicians, and in recent years, routes to claim political asylum in the UK have been reduced further still. So that those with links to the UK seeking asylum have often used the only route open to them, crossing the English Channel in small boats from France, organised by smugglers, at a high price. Yesterday over 500 made the journey, and six died. The government's attempt to house asylum seekers in boats moored offshore was scuppered after the first, Bibby Stockholm, intended to hold 500, had to be evacuated after only the first 50 had arrived after legionella bacteria was found in the water supply. After years of funding cuts, the asylum system has an 18-month backlog dealing with cases, with refugees having to be put up in hotels and other accommodation, though unable to find paid employment until their case is heard, which has caused resentment around the country in areas where they are housed. The current government has pledged to "stop the boats" ostensibly over the dangers being faced by such asylum seekers, but not providing other safer routes for people to make their claims. Instead, they want the UK to appear less welcoming.

It's in this context that, ahead of what the government tried to sell as "Small Boats Week", British Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick has come under severe criticism for something that might seem rather minor. His order last month that cartoon murals at Dover's Kent asylum intake unit, a reception centre for unaccompanied child asylum seekers, depicting Disney and Pixar characters like Mickey Mouse and Dory, be painted over at a cost of £1500, so as to deliberately seem less welcoming. He later defended the decision because there were "hardly any infants" at the site, something that has been contradicted by those at the unit. The situation even saw prominent figures in favour of stricter immigration laws, such as former MEP Nigel Farage, describe this decision as "mean". And for shadow immigration minister, Stephen Kinnock, to say "The idea that painting over murals and removing entertainment for unaccompanied children in immigration centres will somehow stop the boats is utterly absurd."

Other cartoonists have offered to replace the murals, but the plans had to be shelved. Instead, artists across the country are going to create a colouring book of cartoons, run by the Professional Cartoonists Organisation, to be given to the children for free, illustrating more welcoming British customs other than banging people up for two years, with copies sold to the general public as a fundraiser for vulnerable refugee children. London's Cartoon Museum is planning to help, as well as The Beano comic. Guy Venables, a cartoonist for Metro, Private Eye and The Spectator, is currently taking the lead. He xeets "Response for the colouring in book has been astonishing. Once we've got the commercial print run going you can expect to see work from Ralph Steadman, Quentin Blake, Terry Gilliam, Chris Riddell and tons of other brilliant cartoonists from Viz, Beano, Private Eye and The Phoenix."

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