After pinching UKIP's former immigration policy it is fantastic to see the Labour Government are now pinching UKIP's Policy on foreign language translation of official documents.
For several years UKIP have been against the automatic translation of public sector documents into a wide range of languages. In almost my first meeting as a re-elected UKIP Councillor in 2006 I asked Hartlepool Council to look at the necessity of including on Ward Surgery Notices translations into several languages that no-one in my ward actually spoke. Predictably the debate went nowhere as the LIB/LAB/CON (and some Independents it must be said), almost fought each other to be first to demonstrate their Politically Correct Credentials by denouncing as racist even the questioning of the necessity of multiple language translations.
I think I even used the words that the government guidelines now quote "Is it essential that this material is translated - and what is the evidence of both need or that people will be disadvantaged without it?" I have tabled another question on this matter for the December 13th Council Meting. I wonder if the LIB/LAB/CON will be so keen to denounce the Labour Government guidelines as they were to denounce me?
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