Abstract

At a time when the integration of ethnic communities in Europe has become a burning issue, the case of Great Britain and the role played by its national press is particularly interesting. The British press, with its high circulation figures, is amongst the most virulent in Europe. For a number of years, the question of immigration and asylum seekers has been a recurring theme in its pages which are characterized by their complete lack of neutrality and an accompanying unwillingness to provide the necessary information for an informed debate on the subject. Several studies have underlined the systematically defamatory nature of the media’s coverage of the problems of immigration and asylum seekers since 1999 in which a blatantly propagandist approach has had a direct impact on both public opinion and political decisions.