Cameron's call for immigrants to learn English comes as Government cuts English classes for immigrants
14 April 2011
UCU today questioned the wisdom of the prime minister's call for immigrants to learn English as his government slashes funding for English classes for immigrants. The union said that the ability to speak English was vital to community cohesion and ensuring people could work and live full lives in the UK.
UCU said it was in the government's interests to ensure immigrants can speak English, but in no-one's interests for the prime minister to attack people for failing to learn English at the same time that his government removes the necessary funding.
English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) has seen a cut of 32% in funding in the last two years. Furthermore, according to the Action for ESOL campaign, changes to eligibility for free ESOL classes will result in around 100,000 people, three-quarters of whom are women, being hit with fees of up to £1,200 for classes - charges that they simply cannot afford.
UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'We believe community cohesion is a central plank of building a fairer and more equitable Britain. David Cameron's talk of 'good immigration' is unlikely to help matters and his criticism of immigrants not learning English as his Government prices thousands out of English classes is somewhat confused to say the least.
'Learning English on arrival in this country is the best way to get people out of poverty and into their local communities. It is the responsibility of, and in the interests of, numerous government departments to ensure people are not excluded from being able to learn English and that must be reflected in who picks up the tab.
'We, literally, cannot afford the most needy and vulnerable in society to become further marginalised through an inability to learn and speak the language of this country. Something the Prime Minister should consider before making ill-advised attacks on immigrants.'
For more information on the Action for ESOL campaign visit www.actionforesol.org.
English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) has seen a cut of 32% in funding in the last two years. Furthermore, according to the Action for ESOL campaign, changes to eligibility for free ESOL classes will result in around 100,000 people, three-quarters of whom are women, being hit with fees of up to £1,200 for classes - charges that they simply cannot afford.
UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'We believe community cohesion is a central plank of building a fairer and more equitable Britain. David Cameron's talk of 'good immigration' is unlikely to help matters and his criticism of immigrants not learning English as his Government prices thousands out of English classes is somewhat confused to say the least.
'Learning English on arrival in this country is the best way to get people out of poverty and into their local communities. It is the responsibility of, and in the interests of, numerous government departments to ensure people are not excluded from being able to learn English and that must be reflected in who picks up the tab.
'We, literally, cannot afford the most needy and vulnerable in society to become further marginalised through an inability to learn and speak the language of this country. Something the Prime Minister should consider before making ill-advised attacks on immigrants.'
For more information on the Action for ESOL campaign visit www.actionforesol.org.
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