From 2006 to 2010 I collected 144 articles from the British press and 44 articles from the Scottish (specific) press relating to Polish migration in the UK (no doubt there are many more). I collated articles details in a data capture spreadsheet, and have begun to conduct a content analysis of the material. In October 2009 I gave a paper 'The Reception of Poles in the Scottish Press'at the “Scotland and Poland: a Historical Relationship, 1500 - 2009" conference, hosted by the University of Edinburgh. A book based on this conference is due to be published in February 2011.
Here’s a selection of some of the articles I came across:
Newspaper: The Guardian
Article Title: Polish workers lost in a strange land find work in UK does not pay
Date: 11.01.05
Journalist: Felicity Lawrence
Article Keywords / Phrases: Gangmasters, Afghans - 'frightened', helpless, legitimate cheap labour, "managed migration", intimidated, payslips, boss, confusion, abuses
Newspaper: The Observer
Article Title: Doctors go West in Polish brain drain
Date: 15.05.05
Journalist: Daniel McLaughlin and David Smith
Article Keywords / Phrases: Economic migration, brain drain, demand, national pay scales, stringent test, cost-effective
Newspaper: The Sunday Times
Article Title: Invasion by Poles hits 'lazy' Britain
Date: 14.05.06
Journalist: Daniel Foggo and Ed Habershon
Article Keywords / Phrases: Volume of migrants, migrant workers, sectors, skills match, work ethic, Home Office figures, demography, forecasts, unprecedented, ambitious, focused, net immigration, stereotype
Newspaper: The Sunday Times
Article Title: Polish immigrants now view Scotland as home
Date: 27.08.06
Journalist: Frank Ryan, Claire Sawers
Article Keywords / Phrases: Intentions to stay, aspiration for kids, countryside (pursuit), want integration, friendly Scotland
Newspaper: The Sunday Times
Article Title: Overworked, undercutting and OVER HERE
Date: 10.09.06
Journalist: David Langton
Article Keywords / Phrases: Cheap, honest, happy [to work all hours], Essential phrases: Are you sure you want all that money in cash? Do you take Vodka in your tea? Fix this before my husband gets home, Polish rivals
Newspaper: The Daily Mail
Article Title: £1m of child benefit paid out a month - to mothers in Poland
Date: 21.09.07
Journalist: Unnamed Author
Article Keywords / Phrases: Welfare state, benefits, generous, abuse, tax credits, exploit
Newspaper: The Independent
Article Title: Living Poles apart in a parallel existence doesn't benefit anyone
Date: 23.12.07
Journalist: Ruth Dudley Edwards
Article Keywords / Phrases: Cheap flights, full of eager Poles, Polish bubble, homesickness
Newspaper: The Daily Express
Article Title: At least 100,000 Poles 'Planning to stay for good'
Date: 19.01.08
Journalist: Tom Whitehead
Article Keywords / Phrases: Flood of Poles, unprecedented, revolution in relations, not well integrated
Newspaper: The Times
Article Title: Polish plumbers pack their bags as pickings get richer back east
Date: 16.02.08
Journalist: Alexi Mostrous & Christine Seib
Article Keywords / Phrases: Poles return home, boom time in Poland, crumbling pound, construction boom, swing in migration
Newspaper: The Independent
Article Title: The drain: What if all the Poles went home?
Date: 29.04.08
Journalist: Tim Samuels
Article Keywords / Phrases: drain , mass exodus, lure skilled workers back home, acute staff shortages, countryside, economic manna, fallout, Association of Polish Women, Catholic church, 2012 (Olympics), resettlement loans
Newspaper: The Sun
Article Title: TEN thousand Polish women came to Britain for NHS abortions last year
Date: 15.12.08
Journalist: Emma Morton
Article Keywords / Phrases: Terminations, illegal, National Insurance numbers, Polish Federation for Women and Family Planning, reciprocal healthcare agreements
Newspaper: The Daily Mail
Article Title: Half a million Poles to stay in the UK despite credit crunch
Date: 29.01.09
Journalist: Niall Firth
Article Keywords / Phrases: Migrants, workers, roots, families, Polish speaking, UK citizenship
Newspaper: The Daily Mail
Article Title: Surge in state handouts for credit crunch Poles pushed out of jobs and into UK benefits system
Date: 14.04.09
Journalist: Matthew Hickley
Article Keywords / Phrases: Benefits, employment agencies, recession, Home Office, A8 citizens, labour market, influx, burden, allowance
