Save Our Livelihoods

11.46.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 21st Apr 2008

"Nick Russell, Merlene Emerson (Lib Dem candidates for the London Assembly for Barnet & Camden and West Central respectively) and Linda Chung (Chair of Chinese Lib Dems) joined thousands of Chinese, Bangladeshi and Turkish British workers from the catering industry in a massive demonstration in Trafalgar Square on Sunday 20 April.

"These communities are among the most self-sufficient and entrepreneurial we have", commented Nick. "They take the risks, they provide a service that millions of the population enjoy on a regular basis, they support and sustain their own communities, and now the government is making it increasingly hard for them to continue."

The labour shortage has been exacerbated by a spate of aggressive surprise raids on restaurants by Border Immigration Agency using heavy handed tactics which do nothing for race relations in this country. Furthermore, the new immigration Points System will virtually bar non-EU unskilled and semi-skilled labour from the right to continue working in the UK.

Brian Paddick has given his full support to the 'rice bowl' petition as well as in supporting London Citizens' call for the right to a 'living wage'."