Japan earthquake: UK rescue team 'foiled by red tape'

UK rescue workers say they were forced to leave Japan because they could not secure the necessary paperwork from the British embassy in Tokyo.

The International Rescue Corps said they were not given permission to work in Japan because it would have made the embassy legally responsible for them.

Full story: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12756366

-- BBC 2011-03-16

Totally unacceptable.

A simple scissors would have seen them through the dam_n thing.

Somebody, somewhere, should be ashamed of themselves.

Total <deleted>. Paper more important than lives, but l remember similar stuff in LOS's hour of need.

Our Embassy staff should hang their heads in shame. Or perhaps they are going to this work themselves?

The FCO must look into this and ensure that Britain is never again put in this ignominious position.

Our Embassy staff should hang their heads in shame. Or perhaps they are going to this work themselves?

The FCO must look into this and ensure that Britain is never again put in this ignominious position.

maybe the embassy staff is very busy atm and does already lots of work.

Our Embassy staff should hang their heads in shame. Or perhaps they are going to this work themselves?

The FCO must look into this and ensure that Britain is never again put in this ignominious position.

maybe the embassy staff is very busy atm and does already lots of work.

Surely you can't be serious!

Oh yes more paperwork. What foolishness is this? Wake up British Embassy. Sorry just a minor glitch, no one wants to be held accountable.

yes britain have to seem to be right when they are not , and they wonder why we are sometimes not liked in the world when when have sevile servants with power that they dont really have , a bunch of lazy f.............b.............s! sorry but they british system makes me sick and i am so pleased i left!

I don't understand what the embassy has to do with it, I did not need embassy permission to live in Thailand, I needed Thai permission.

As a retiree the embassy had to confirm my income, but if I were a volunteer relief worker It would be the Thai government that dealt with me.

Litigious nanny states indeed hamper a lot of potential good in this world.

F*cking JOKE