Iraqi refugees get lost in media circus

So this afternoon, up stepped the PM to face the snarling media pack all desperate for blood. And their fascination? The Election That Never Was (ETNW).

Sometimes you wish the media would get a grip. The ETNW dominated while the story that really mattered was brushed under the carpet.

I am of course talking about the refugee crisis in Iraq.

The press conference was the perfect opportunity to hold Gordon to account over his announcement that the UK will grant asylum to 500 Iraqis all of whom had worked for the British Government.

On the face of it, it appears to be welcome news and a great victory for the bloggers led by Dan Hardie and The Times , who have been running a campaign on this exact issue.

All fair and good, except as The Guardian pointed out this morning, that since 2003, British forces have employed up to 15,000 Iraqis. So for starters that would be a shortfall of 14,500. But even 15,000 would represent a tiny drop in the ocean.

Since 2003, two million people have fled the violence in Iraq. Most are now living in Jordan and Syria.

And the UK Government can hardly claim to be saints on the issue of refugees.They have forced more people back to Iraq than any other country in Europe as Nillucio mentioned in an earlier blog.

And as for taking Iraqi refugees in, so far this year they granted asylum to just 17. Sweden, who didnt even take part in the invasion, have taken in 250.

Anyway, couldnt let a blog go by without mentioning Saturdays demonstration in Trafalgar Square. How good was that?

Monks, petals, red headbands, Amnesty International everywhere and a message loud and clear across the world.

Saturdays bonus blog goes into the full details, but it was certainly an uplifting experience and even The People couldnt ignore it.