the "problem" of immigration in britain has been largely caused by media over-reaction - they've managed to convince some members of the public that this country is getting overtaken by asylum seekers who are stealing our jobs, using our taxes, etc etc. of course this attitude disgusts me, not least due to the fact that it's all based on total untruths - for a start asylum seekers have absolutely no hope of getting a job, and that's if they get into the country in the first place and don't get sent back to their previous mad dictator home. furthermore they're faced with humiliation and living in dead seaside towns that are virtually prisons. I heard once that (excuse if the statistics are wrong) people in britain believe that we take in 25% of the asylum seekers in the world when in fact it's more like 1% or less. the media has managed to blow this issue totally out of proportion, and even more regretably it is being used by the British National Party (real nazis, not just "nationalists") to get votes in working class areas.

so this is a british problem, and while it may very occasionally leak into the folk scene, it's definitely frowned upon. i'd say we're probably the most left-wing music movement in britain (even if your man up there is voting for labour...), which for me is part of the appeal. folk music encourages you to enjoy all cultures and anyone who expresses bigoted views like "befuddled" obviously fails to understand the true meaning of folk - music of the people. all people.