Forced voluntary service under Brown

Posted on March 1, 2007
Filed Under Policy |

So Brown wants all immigrants seeking British citizenship to conduct voluntary service. Isn’t this just another gimmicky proposal, pulled out of the political policy bag, produced to show that Brown has ideas and cares about what it means to be British, even though current citizens are not sure themselves?

Well, any “good” policy starts by identifying the problem. The problem here is that of integration: how to integrate new citizens into British society, especially those who may have different views of community and civic virtue.

But why do we need to take action? Clearly, such issues poll highly- many people are worried by the effects of immigrants on communities. Brown also hopes that policies on British citizenship will distance himself from his own Scottish identity, portraying him as a unifier of all the British people.

So the solution…..let’s force them to do voluntary work. Unfortunately, forced voluntary work has several negative overtones, associated with Community Service punishments and the link between voluntary service and benefits under the Welfare to Work scheme.

However, from what Brown said, it seems that voluntary service is only part of the new policy. For voluntary work on its own does not deal with the problem facing immigrant minorities. They face a problem of distributional justice, and new citizens need help to understand the rules of liberal society, learn new language skills and get a job. There is a danger that such voluntary work schemes may in fact further stigmatise minority groups who already feel marginalised, but it is a move in the right direction, which will help to promote a greater sense of Britishness, whatever that is.

Comments

2 Responses to “Forced voluntary service under Brown”

  1. Surreptitious Evil on March 3rd, 2007 4:26 pm

    Would this fall foul of Article 4, Clause 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights?

    http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1998/80042–d.htm#sch1

    I don’t think that Clause 3(d) would apply for a new obligation arrived at out of the blue (or red, or whatever …)

    S-E

  2. Vox Polis » Blog Archive » Would Be King roundup - 4 March 2007 on March 4th, 2007 3:22 pm

    […] Forced voluntary service under Brown So Brown wants all immigrants seeking British citizenship to conduct voluntary service. […]

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