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U.K. Minister pelted with cream pie

LONDON: First, he was forced to pass through a mock “border control” and asked to show his passport. And then, as he took his seat, he had a cream pie thrown at him for “spouting right-wing anti-immigration policies.”

For Immigration Minister Phil Woolas, the “reception” he got at Manchester University on Friday climaxed a torrid week as he battled with the controversy over his call for a cap on immigration.

Mr. Woolas was invited by the university students’ union to speak on a debate on environment, but the event was hijacked by activists of “No Borders” — a group which campaigns against border controls. They insisted he must pass through a “border control” they had set up and show his passport.

Until then it was all in good humour but the mood turned ugly when — shortly before the debate was to start — a woman from the audience threw a cream pie at him. She ran away as an embarrassed Mr. Woolas left the room to wash is face.

“We threw the pie because we didn’t want to engage in debate and legitimise what he was saying. What he was spouting were right wing anti-immigration policies. The danger is that people like him are making such views mainstream,” a spokesperson for No Borders said.

Mr. Wooolas’ remarks that he proposed to impose an annual limit on the number of immigrants to protect “British jobs” has led to widespread criticism with his own party colleagues.

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