How many refugees and asylum seekers are in Camden?
“The caricature of migrants as scroungers, criminals and a burden on society is the reverse of the truth. Most are decent, hard working, law-abiding people who want to make a positive contribution.” Peter Lilley, MP, former Conservative Minister, speech given at the Centre for Policy Studies, 22 March 2005 These pages draw on information from a wide variety of sources to give a clear and accurate picture about asylum seekers, refugees and migrants in the UK generally and Camden specifically. Camden is a diverse and vibrant borough, with a population nearing 220,000 and more than 100 languages spoken by pupils in its schools. Nearly 30 per cent of local residents come from a BME (black or minority ethnic) community. The last 60 years have seen the development of significant African- Caribbean, Chinese and, more recently, Bangladeshi and Somali communities in Camden and in the past decade eastern Europeans. But immigration to Camden is nothing new and it didn’t start with the end of the
