MIGRANT WAVE-DEMYSTIFYING ROMANIAN AND BULGARIAN IMMIGRANTS IN THE BRITISH PRESS- DAILY MAIL AND THE GUARDIAN (2013-2014)
Corresponding author:
[email protected]
Accepted
27 March 2026
Available Online
15 August 2014
Abstract
IN RECENT YEARS, THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND HAS BEEN CONFRONTED WITH MASSIVE IMMIGRATION FROM FORMER COMMUNIST COUNTRIES, WHICH HAVE RECENTLY ASCENDED INTO THE EUROPEAN UNION. THE REACTION OF THE PRESS HAS BIRTHED THE IDEA OF A WAVE OF ROMANIANS AND BULGARIANS, WHOSE ARRIVAL WOULD HAVE BEEN DETERMINED BY THE LIFTING OF WORK RESTRICTIONS. THIS STUDY AIMS AT ANALYSING THE REACTION OF TWO OF THE MOST IMPORTANT BRITISH NEWSPAPERS, DAILY MAIL AND THE GUARDIAN. THE FIRST’S ATTITUDE WAS MOSTLY HOSTILE, FREQUENTLY BEING CHARACTERIZED AS SOMEWHAT XENOPHOBIC. THE SECOND ONE’S APPROACH WAS MORE BALANCED, TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE PHENOMENON THR OUGH ITS CAUSES AND EFFECTS. BETWEEN 2013 AND 2014 THE DEBATE TENDED TO HEAT UP, LEADING TO SOME INTERESTING IDEAS.
Keywords
IMMIGRANT
ROMANIAN
BULGARIAN
XENOPHOBIC
NEWSPAPER
Full Text
The body of this article is intentionally hidden on the public page. Please use the PDF reader or the PDF download for the complete text.
References
[1]
"This is what it's like for Roma gypsies forced to live in ghettos in Romania, Daily Mail, accessed 10.01.2014, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/video/news/this-is-what-its-like-for-roma-gypsies-forced- to-live-in-ghettos-in-romania/video-1051720/index.html.
[2]
"Bulgarian and Romanian immigration hysteria 'fanned by far -right'", The Guardian , accessed 13.01.2014, http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/jan/03/romanian-bulglarian-uk- immigration-hysteria-far-right.
[3]
"Mai puţini români în Spania", Ziare, accessed 17.01.2014, http://www.ziare.com/diaspora/romani- spania/mai-putini-romani-in-spania-1235139.
[4]
"The Polish paradox", , The Economist , accessed 17.01.2014, http://www.economist.com/news/britain/21591588-britons-loathe-immigration-principle-quite- immigrants-practice-bulgarians.
[5]
Adams, Guy , " 'We want to get into your country before someone locks the door': Shocking investigation into the coming wave of immigration from Romania and Bulgaria", Daily Mail, accessed 10.01.2014, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2279419/We-want-country-locks-door- Shocking-investigation-coming-wave-immigration-Romania-Bulgaria.html.
[6]
Chorley, Matt, Peev, Gerri , "Government has a figure for how many people will come to the UK from Bulgaria and Rom ania but won't tell the rest of us" , Daily Mail, accessed 10.01.2014 , http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2261705/Government-figure-people-come-UK-Bulgaria- Romania-wont-tell-rest-us.html.
[7]
Chorley, Matt, Martin, Daniel , "Romania says British ministers have agreed secret deal to ensure migrants receive benefits despite coalition claims of a crackdown", Daily Mail , acces sed 10.01.2014,http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2287903/Romania-boasts-secret-deal-UK- benefits-migrants-ministers-plan-ID-cards-free-NHS-care-curb-welfare-tourism.html.
[8]
Daily Mail Reporter, " Even EU immigrants can use Help to Buy: Government is powerless to stop migrants from using scheme to get on housing ladder ", Daily Mail , accessed 13.01.2014, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2375699/EU-immigrants-use-Help-Buy-Government- powerless-stop-migrants-using-housing-scheme.html.
[9]
Davies, Caroline, Malik, Shiv , "Welcome to Luton: Romanian arrival greeted by two MPs and a media scrum", The Guardian , accessed 13.01.2014, http://www.theguardian.com/uk- news/2014/jan/01/luton-romanian-arrival-mps-media.
[10]
Doyle, Jack, Daily Mail, "'Whitewash' on influx of Romania migrants: Official study fails to reveal how many will arrive next year", Daily Mail , accessed 10.01.2014, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2304226/Whitewash-influx-Romania-migrants-Official- study-fails-reveal-arrive-year.html.
[11]
Dustmann, Christian, Frattini, Tommaso , "The Fiscal Effects of Immigration to the UK", Discussion Paper Series, No. 22 (November 2013) Centre for Research and Analysis of Migration.
[12]
Gayle, Damien, "At home with t he Roma: Barefoot but still beaming, the poverty -stricken families who eke an existence in remote villages of Romania " , Daily Mail , accessed 10.01.2014, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2424296/At-home-Roma-Remote-villages-people-struggle- terrible-poverty-continue-traditional-way-life.html.
[13]
Gillet, Kit , "Thousands of Romanian children stay at home while parents work abroad", The Guardian, accessed 13.01.2014, http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/30/romanian-children-home-parents-work-abroad-eu.
[14]
Gladdis, Keith, "Life inside the Romanian gypsy ghetto that is so grim the town mayor sealed it off behind a wall ", Daily Mail , accessed 10. 01.2014, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article- 2285796/Romanian-gypsies-living-condemned-ghetto-mayor-built-wall-around.html.
[15]
Groves, Jason, "Migration crackdown 'is smoke and mirrors and will do little to curbe expected influx of migrants from Romania and Bulgaria'", Daily Mail , accessed 10.01.2014, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2298561/Migration-crackdown-smoke-mirrors-little-curb- expected-influx-migrants-Romania-Bulgaria.html.
[16]
Hall, Allan, "Germany rejects Romania and Bulgaria's bid to roam Europe without passport amid fears of 'immigrant invasion' ", Daily Mail , accessed 10.01.2014, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2287852/Romania-Bulgaria-WONT-join-EU-passport- free-zone-Germany-vows-veto-Schengen-bid-corruption-fears.html. August 2014
[17]
Infante, Francisca, "'I'm from Romania, I came to Britain for the hospital': Beggars sleeping rough around Marble Arch are arrested by UK Border police just a day after immigration laws are relaxed", Daily Mail , accessed 10.01.2014, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2532613/Beggars- sleeping-rough-Marble-Arch-arrested-UK-Border-police-just-day-British-immigration-laws- relaxed.html.
[18]
Indicatori demografici Anno 2010 , accessed 17.01.2014, http://www3.istat.it/salastampa/comunicati/in_calendario/inddemo/20110124_00/testointegrale2011 0124.pdf.
[19]
Lancaster, David , " Which politic al parties do the newspapers support?", Supanet, accessed 17.01.2014, http://www.supanet.com/business--money/which-political-parties-do-the-newspapers- support--25923p1.html, accessed 17.01.2014.
[20]
Marwick, Arthur, A British History of the Modern British Isles, 1914 -1999: Circumstances, Events and Outcomes, 2nd Edition, Oxford: Blackwell Publishers, 2006.
[21]
McCann, Jaymi, Doughty, Steve , "How 1.5MILLION Romanians have left their homeland in a decade as immigrants head west in droves" , Daily Mail , accessed 13.01.2014, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2356171/How-1-5MILLION-Romanians-left-homeland- decade-immigrants-head-west-droves.html.
[22]
Muir, Hugh , "Immigration from Romania and Bulgaria will lead to new pressures - but not Armaggedon", The Guardian , accessed 13.01.2014, http://www.theguardian.com/uk- news/2014/jan/01/immigration-romania-bulgaria-britain-migrants.
[23]
Niţă, Delia-Luiza, Racism in Romania, ENAR Shadow Report, Center for Legal Resources, 2008.
[24]
Rowthorn, Robert, "The Economic Impact of Immigration", A Civitas Online Report, April 2004.
[25]
Travis, Alan, "David Cameron's migration plans are impractical, inequitable or illegal", The Guardian, accessed 13.01.2014, http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/nov/27/david-cameron- migration-plan-bulgaria-romania.
[26]
Travis, Alan, "Romanian and Bulgarian migrants 'unlikely to head for UK' – report", The Guardian, accessed 13.01.2014, http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2013/apr/05/eastern-european-migrants- report.