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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Home Office immigrant van campaign to be probed by ASA | Home Office immigrant van campaign to be probed by ASA |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A scheme which saw vans drive through London calling on illegal immigrants to leave is to be investigated by the advertising watchdog. | A scheme which saw vans drive through London calling on illegal immigrants to leave is to be investigated by the advertising watchdog. |
| The Home Office said its vans which say "go home or face arrest" had worked but did not say how many people had left the country. | The Home Office said its vans which say "go home or face arrest" had worked but did not say how many people had left the country. |
| The Advertising Standards Authority said they launched the investigation following 60 complaints. | |
| The pilot scheme had been widely criticised by the Lib Dems and Liberty. | The pilot scheme had been widely criticised by the Lib Dems and Liberty. |
| Vans were driven around Barnet, Hounslow, Barking and Dagenham, Ealing, Brent and Redbridge, as part of the campaign. | |
| 'Misleading' claims | |
| Liberal Democrat Business Secretary Vince Cable said the scheme was "stupid and offensive" and Brent Council leader Muhammed Butt said the scheme was "an act of desperation". | |
| In a statement, the ASA said complainants had expressed concerns that the advert, in particular the phrase "go home", was offensive and irresponsible. | |
| It said complainants were concerned this was "reminiscent of slogans used by racist groups to attack immigrants in the past and could incite or exacerbate racial hatred and tensions in multicultural communities". | |
| "Separately, some complainants have challenged whether the claim '106 arrests last week in your area' is misleading," the ASA added. | |
| "They've also challenged whether it is misleading because it implies arrest is the automatic consequence of remaining in the UK without permission." |