The Government has funded a social media campaign to deter Albanian migrants from illegally moving to Britain, as part of a multimillion pound scheme, that highlights Britain’s cost of living crisis, the negative impact of Brexit and discrimination in the UK.
On Instagram, Facebook and TikTok, video posts under the title Histori Nga Britania (Stories from Britain) Albanian immigrants in the UK speak out over the difficulties of living in Britain. In the videos, the Albanians complain about how expensive accommodation is and the discrimination they have faced.
The posts are illustrated by black and white images of closed shopfronts covered in graffiti, flats in a state of disrepair and mounds of broken furniture dumped next to a housing estate.
The Government would not clarify exactly how much has been spent on the Histori Nga Britania project but it is being funded by the Foreign Office as part of its £3.75m a year campaign to combat “irregular Albanian migration”. However, according to officials it’s not had the desired impact.
An internal Foreign Office assessment seen by The i Paper said: “There is limited evidence on the effectiveness of a dissuasive communications approach.”
Critics have dubbed the project as a “costly failure” and attacked wasting public money on a scheme that talks Britain down.
Follow for the very latest political news!
On socials, 'Histori Nga Britania' videos feature Albanian immigrants in the UK discussing high living costs and discrimination, alongside images of decayed flats, shuttered shops, and dumped furniture
Story: https://t.co/Gh5fAOMyhE
— Politics UK (@PolitlcsUK) February 14, 2025
Although this initiative started under the previous Conservative government in 2023, it has continued under the new Labour administration despite the party criticising the Tories for similar “gimmicks” last year.
The social media posts denigrating Britain do not disclose they are funded by the British taxpayer, but following questions from The i Paper, this was confirmed by the Foreign Office as one way in which the government is tackling irregular migration. It declined to clarify exactly how much is being spent on this part of its campaign.
The social media project also includes posts that highlight the positive reasons for Albanians to stay in the Balkan country in a campaign called “Love North Albania”. These include images of beautiful Albanian countryside and traditional food.
The initiative was launched amid an unprecedented rise in illegal Albanian migration into the UK in 2022 with some 12,000 Albanians arriving, some of whom came on small boat crossings.
This prompted several successful initiatives from the then Conservative government to curb the rise with the numbers dropping dramatically but the social media campaign talking down Britain was not viewed as effective.
Daniel Sohege, a director of human rights policy consultancy Stand For All, said: “Campaigns to deter people coming to the UK are not new, and each time they have proven to be a costly failure. These campaigns themselves ignore the reality of why and how Albanians come to the UK. They still form one of the largest groups being trafficked into the UK, and no one is choosing to be trafficked or exploited.”
William Yarwood, of the Taxpayers’ Alliance, said: “Taxpayers will be seriously concerned to see their hard-earned cash being spent on a secretive PR campaign that talks Britain down.
“Tackling illegal migration should rightly be a top priority for the Government but it should focus on stronger border controls, not dodgy, ineffective spin. Ministers need to ensure that taxpayers’ money is spent efficiently and effectively, not wasted on costly gimmicks.”.
In one video describing life in Britain, an Albanian migrant called Jonel says Brexit and the cost of living crisis have made his life harder.
He says: “I came here with a visa. There have been many changes, especially in the last eight years due to Brexit and some other changes because of the pandemic we went through. Many things have changed, and the cost of living has become very high.”
In another, a graduate called Vera says she has struggled to get into her chosen industry and has suffered from discrimination while in the UK.
She said: “I am working a full-time job in hospitality. This industry is not related at all to what I studied, nor to any of the fields that I studied. It is difficult to adapt, it is difficult to succeed in this whole world that has so much competition.
“And besides that, there is discrimination, the mindset that people have about Albanians. It is not a very positive mindset. To live in England is very difficult.”.
One day labourer talks of having to work two jobs to help his family with rent, while another construction worker mentions about how his rents have doubled in eight years and how deposits for houses can be as much as £3,000.
In another clip, an interviewee says he will soon return to Albania, because it is quieter there, and he is scared of being “finished” because of one small mistake by the police.
The campaign has also shared comments by interviewees saying that they were considering moving back to Albania due to the struggles they have faced in the UK.
According to a Foreign Office review, the overall project has had limited success as the scheme has been treated with “scepticism” by locals.
The social media campaign is being run by TAG International, an international development consultancy based in Westminster.
A Government spokesperson said: “This account is not run by the UK Government and the views it promotes are from individuals from the Albanian diaspora and those who have returned to Albania. Tackling irregular migration and protecting Britain’s borders is a priority for this government.”
TAG has been approached for a comment.
Source: The Paper
No comments.
By submitting a comment you grant Free West Media a perpetual license to reproduce your words and name/web site in attribution. Inappropriate and irrelevant comments will be removed at an admin’s discretion. Your email is used for verification purposes only, it will never be shared.