Norwich MP says marketing campaign to discourage Albanians ‘disparages out metropolis’

A government-funded marketing campaign which used photographs from Norfolk to discourage Albanian migrants from coming to the UK has been criticised by an MP.

Clive Lewis, Labour MP for Norwich South, described the Histori Nga Britania (Tales from Britain) social media marketing campaign as “disparaging”.

Posts on Instagram, Fb and TikTok featured black-and-white images of rundown components of UK cities, together with Norwich, alongside posts from Albanians complaining about life within the UK.

The International, Commonwealth & Growth Workplace wouldn’t remark instantly on the adverts, which it mentioned had been administered by an exterior companion, however mentioned: “Tackling irregular migration and defending Britain’s borders is a precedence.”

The social media adverts highlighted tales from migrants who entered the UK illegally “solely to face debt, exploitation and a life removed from what they had been promised”, the House Workplace mentioned.

In response to the Native Democracy Reporting Service, the pictures used included closed shopfronts lined in graffiti and fences with barbed wire.

One picture, taken in Norwich’s Theatre Road, was captioned: “I’ve been in England for six months. I got here by ship. Life is tough out right here in the meanwhile as a result of I haven’t got a job.”

The adverts, began in 2023 underneath the Conservative administration, adopted a upsurge in Albanian migration to the UK.

In 2022, 12,301 arrived within the UK by way of the English Channel which accounted for 28% of arrivals in small boats and lots of had been single, grownup males.

The Labour authorities continued the marketing campaign.

Lewis mentioned: “I’ve constantly mentioned that I would like immigration to be managed pretty, competently and professionally.

“This meets not one of the standards and I do not wish to see anybody disparaging our metropolis.

“This sort of stunt runs the danger of deterring many much-needed folks from overseas we welcome to our effective metropolis to review, fill gaps within the workforce and hold our well being and social care techniques afloat.”

Albanians can apply to enter the UK, with a visa for tourism, enterprise or research.

Balkans professional Andi Hoxhaj estimated that some 40% of individuals go away Albania for “financial alternatives”.