Pakistani Taxi Driver in UK Voices Anger Over Refugee Transport Costs
A Pakistani taxi driver who has been living legally in the United Kingdom for two years has spoken out against what he perceives as significant waste in the transportation of refugees across the country. His comments were captured by British right-wing activist Tommy Robinson during a protest event in Braintree, Essex, where the driver was providing cab services.
Driver Details Inefficiencies in Refugee Transport System
The driver expressed frustration with the current system, specifically mentioning the Wetherfield refugee centre. "Yes. 100 people working there. Yeah, people are living there. They do nothing," he told Robinson, highlighting his perception of inactivity at the facility.
He described how taxis are frequently used to ferry refugees across England, sometimes charging fares as high as £300 per journey. The driver pointed out apparent redundancies, noting that multiple cabs are often booked for passengers heading to identical destinations. "I picked one guy from Wetherfield and dropped off in Dover. Same guy with my company, they picked other guy from same place, going to same place. Why they booked two cabs for two persons? No, it's no sense to waste money like this," he explained.
Contrast Between Hard Work and Perceived Inactivity
The taxi driver contrasted his own demanding work schedule with what he sees as inefficiency in the refugee resettlement process. He mentioned working eight to ten hours daily, sometimes longer due to insufficient work availability. "They need to do something. Yeah. Like, uh, they take everything. Everything," he said, referring to refugees receiving benefits without what he views as corresponding contributions.
He further detailed what he considers wasteful practices at multiple stages of refugee resettlement. "All over England, all the refugees. First come Braintree, Wetherfield. Two, three months, after three months, they give them apartments far away from Braintree. And they live there for one, two months. Apartment finished, new person come. All the furniture waste, new furniture come for new people. Ah. Crazy," the driver described.
Activist Tommy Robinson Amplifies Criticism
Tommy Robinson, who recorded the driver's comments, used the footage to highlight concerns about taxpayer money being misused. On social media platform X, Robinson wrote: "Sometimes, the fares up to £300 a time, even when they're going to the same hotels, they're given their own taxis, all paid for by YOU."
The driver emphasized his perspective on equality and shared responsibility, stating: "It doesn't matter like, because I'm paying taxes. You are paying taxes. We are both equal in same right. So something happened to me, this code, this law, this country." He characterized the situation as "horrendous" in his assessment of the current system.
The protest in Braintree served as the backdrop for these revelations, with the Pakistani taxi driver's firsthand account providing what Robinson presents as evidence of systemic inefficiencies in refugee transportation and resettlement processes across the United Kingdom.
