Can anyone supply me with some FACTS, not opinions, regarding the status of the illegal travellers ?
Do they contribute to society i.e. Income Tax, N.I. etc. ?
Do they receive benefits i.e. unemployment, pensions etc. ?
Where have they come from before Dale Farm and where will they go after their eviction ?
Unbiased replies would be gratefully accepted.
Thanks.

Detsi, it depends on what papers one reads and believes or what forums one reads and believes, officially whoever holds that information, Taxes, Benefits, etc are breaking the law divulging it, so we will never know for sure unless some MP gathers the correct knowledge and stands up in parliament under protection and tells all.

There are 25 families who claim housing and council tax benefits on Dale Farm. Some of them may be in receipt of both types of benefit, some of them may be in receipt of either. As I understand it they pay between £800 and £1,000 per annum in council tax for the dwelling. I very much doubt they exist in the system as we know it in all honesty. Look at the ... filled Oil Street site over in Liverpool. I've had a couple of run ins with them.

As I understand it, they own the land but decided to build on it without the same planning consent any normal people would think to attempt to get.

The site is a former scrapyard.

The council have also sold a large piece of greenbelt land nearby with planning for 120 executive houses - it certainly won't help the development with caravans and ramshackle houses all over nearby land.

At the end of the day, they broke the law and have argued the toss for years, they should have been booted out years ago.

They're not above the law and have to abide by it like the rest of us.

We're slipping into my personal opinion here though, sorry.

http://www.peaceandprogress.org/dalefarm/index.htm

Have a look at the above.

Much appreciated, guys.

Sorry i have to agree with Alex, these people are just like benefit scroungers who refuse to be part of the real world

Surely their contribution to society is irrelevant in the context of this eviction. They are being evicted because they are illegally on the land. They have built permanent homes where no planning permission has ever been granted. (Permission was granted for one half and the residents are not being evicted from this half). These homes are plumbed into a mains water and sewerage system which was not built to withstand so many homes.
They are squatters pure and simple.
Whether they work / don’t work, pay tax / don’t pay tax is of no consequence.

XX They have built permanent homes XX

Then they have lost their "travellers" rights.

They can not be BOTH.

http://www.stlegerhomes.co.uk/PDF/Gypsy%20&%20Traveller%20Fact%20Sheet%20May07.pdf

With you on that alex

At the end of the day they are going to put up camp somewhere! We as tax payers are paying for all the policing and as they move on we will once again have to pay to move them from their next position. I think we should leave them where they are, why should we keep having to pay for other peoples mistakes, surely the councul saw them building - why didn't they chase them then. One has to feel compassion for the children on these sites.

Police marksmen covering disturbances at Dale Farm, were required to open fire three times.

They won a goldfish, a teddy bear and an inflatable hammer.

I'm sure you would have the same sentiments if they were parked at the back of your house. They are subject to the same laws as us and that is really all that needs to be said. I know people who pay their way who have had planning apps rejected for minor reasons but they didn't go around assaulting police and causing riots.

How funny is that your very quick

I'm sure you would have the same sentiments if they were parked at the back of your house. They are subject to the same laws as us and that is really all that needs to be said. I know people who pay their way who have had planning apps rejected for minor reasons but they didn't go around assaulting police and causing riots. [/quote]