Room for Improvement
The Glorious Successor has tributised the work of Iraqis who have helped British forces, "many of whom have worked in extremely difficult circumstances exposing themselves and their families to danger", but not enough of whom have been kidnapped and murdered for such inconveniences to be worth a mention. Gordon is pleased to announce a new policy which "more fully recognises" their contribution:
Existing staff who have been employed by us for more than twelve months and have completed their work will be able to apply for a package of financial payments to aid resettlement in Iraq or elsewhere in the region, or - in agreed circumstances - for admission to the UK. And professional staff - including interpreters and translators - with a similar length of service who have left our employ since the beginning of 2005 will also be able to apply for assistance.
I am not quite clear what that "have completed their work" clause means. I am sure it cannot mean that anyone who left their post because of death threats or the like will be excluded. I also don't much care for "will be able to apply for" (why not "will be entitled to"?) or "in agreed circumstances" (agreed by whom, and when? Perhaps by the Home, Foreign and Defence Ministries, in another couple of months?). The "more than twelve months" stipulation does not greatly impress me, either. Why are Iraqis who receive death threats after working for our boys for eleven months, or eight months, or eight weeks, more expendable than those who have worked for a year? Despite his vaunted insistence on family values, Gordon also does not mention any provision for the families of those he so generously permits to apply for his package. Other than that, of course, it's a very fair offer; but I rather think we can do better.
As Dan Hardie notes, this is the thin end of the wedge. The Government has recognised that it has to do something, and is now attempting to find out what, in this particular case, constitutes as little as possible. Hopefully tomorrow's meeting (whose venue has undergone a small alteration) will help persuade it that more is needed.
Existing staff who have been employed by us for more than twelve months and have completed their work will be able to apply for a package of financial payments to aid resettlement in Iraq or elsewhere in the region, or - in agreed circumstances - for admission to the UK. And professional staff - including interpreters and translators - with a similar length of service who have left our employ since the beginning of 2005 will also be able to apply for assistance.
I am not quite clear what that "have completed their work" clause means. I am sure it cannot mean that anyone who left their post because of death threats or the like will be excluded. I also don't much care for "will be able to apply for" (why not "will be entitled to"?) or "in agreed circumstances" (agreed by whom, and when? Perhaps by the Home, Foreign and Defence Ministries, in another couple of months?). The "more than twelve months" stipulation does not greatly impress me, either. Why are Iraqis who receive death threats after working for our boys for eleven months, or eight months, or eight weeks, more expendable than those who have worked for a year? Despite his vaunted insistence on family values, Gordon also does not mention any provision for the families of those he so generously permits to apply for his package. Other than that, of course, it's a very fair offer; but I rather think we can do better.
As Dan Hardie notes, this is the thin end of the wedge. The Government has recognised that it has to do something, and is now attempting to find out what, in this particular case, constitutes as little as possible. Hopefully tomorrow's meeting (whose venue has undergone a small alteration) will help persuade it that more is needed.
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