Polish Migrants Highlight Contribution To UK

Polish people living in Britain are taking a day of action to underline their contribution to the UK - from going on strike to giving blood.

While hundreds are expected to stage an unofficial walkout from workplaces around the country and take part in protests at Westminster, others are taking part in the #polishblood donor campaign in a show of solidarity with their host country.

Immigration continues to be a thorny issue in the UK as David Cameron seeks to broker a new deal with Brussels ahead of an in/out referendum on EU membership before the end of 2017.

This has been compounded in recent weeks by the migrant crisis at Calais.

Earlier this month official figures revealed the number of EU migrants working in the UK had topped two million for the first time.

The number of workers born in eight eastern European countries including Poland and the Czech Republic - known as the A8 nations - also jumped to a record of 973,000.

The figures again underlined the scale of the task facing the Government to realise its aim of cutting net migration to the tens of thousands.

Poland has already said it would oppose any move by the UK to restrict the rights of EU migrant workers, arguing it would amount to "discrimination".

Research published last year revealed EU migrants contributed more to the UK in taxes than they received in benefits and services.

But the study also showed those arriving from outside Europe over a 17-year period took more from the public purse than they put back in.

Many Poles taking part in the donor campaign have posted pictures of themselves giving blood on social media.

The Facebook page of the #polishblood campaign said now was not the time to hold a strike given the current good relations between Poles and Britons.

It said: "Poles have enormously contributed to the British economy and are thankful to have many opportunities to work and study in the UK.

"Therefore, we are strongly encouraging all Poles in the UK to donate blood on 20 August, instead of striking, to foster the British-Polish relations.

"The #polishblood campaign is another proof of the positive contribution of Polish migrants to the UK."

Meanwhile, the Federation of Poles in Great Britain, which represents more than 60 Polish organisations, was critical of workers walking out of their jobs.

Chairman Tadeusz Stenzel condemned the strike as "an irresponsible and divisive way of presenting arguments in the immigration debate".

While appreciating the concerns and frustrations of some migrant workers, he felt the walkout would do more harm than good.

He also urged people to donate blood all year round rather than linking it to "any political activism".

Mr Stenzel added: "Blood is universal and has no race, religion, gender, or indeed political opinions, and we belive it should not be used for political purposes".