Are the Conservatives deliberately fuelling bigotry against immigrants?
This racist cartoon from a recent edition of The Times shows how the Tories and their allies have used immigration to divert anger away from them and towards others – in this case, both foreigners coming into the UK and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who the cartoonist claims will allow immigrants into the country in large numbers. It is only an issue because the Conservatives want it to be one.
On the eve of a speech in which a former Tory minister will warn her party that a “hard Brexit” will promote intolerance and bigotry, has it not occurred to anyone that this may be exactly what the Conservative government wants?
Ask yourself: Why do people resent immigrants coming into the UK?
Isn’t it because of fears they will use up scant social resources – claiming benefits, occupying houses, taking up school places, hospital beds, and so on?
But that only becomes an issue if there is a shortage of those resources, and in the sixth-richest country on Earth, there’s no reason for that to be the case. So, why is it the case?
This Twitter user knows the answer:
That’s right – the Conservatives have reintroduced rationing.
Only this time, they called it “austerity”.
The relentless onslaught of cuts – that have stripped public services to the bone, put the NHS billions of pounds in debt and created a huge shortage of affordable housing, coupled with changes to the education system that have made it increasingly difficult to place children in nearby schools, has created an atmosphere of suspicion.
People have become hugely protective of what little remains, and see immigrants as threats to their own ability to access that remnant.
Meanwhile the Conservatives and the richest one per cent of UK citizens have more than doubled their already vast income over the last six years.
So who is responsible for the lack of resources? Immigrants? Or the Tories who have drained away all the funds to make themselves richer?
Put that way, it isn’t too hard to understand, is it?
And the beauty of it, for people like them, who see little difference between poverty-stricken immigrants and poverty-stricken native citizens, is that their policy has left poor people fighting among themselves.
They even managed to get elected, last year, on the basis that they would hold a referendum on our EU membership that could stop immigration into the UK.
And now we know that it probably won’t.
You see, immigration isn’t the problem. The Conservative government is.
A “hard Brexit” in which the UK turns its back on the EU single market and closes its borders to European citizens risks encouraging bigoted attitudes like those of Donald Trump, a former cabinet minister in David Cameron’s government will say on Sunday.
In her speech… [Nicky] Morgan will say… “There are already those for whom the referendum result is not enough – they want us to have a ‘hard Brexit’ that cuts us off from the EU, turns our back on the single market and allows people to say things about their fellow citizens that promote intolerance and bigotry.”
The pro-EU elements of the Tory party increasingly fear that May, Johnson, Davis and Fox are preparing for a “hard Brexit” – leaving the EU single market and accepting that as the price to be paid for curbing immigration and restoring control of UK borders.
Source: Hard Brexit will breed new bigotry, warns former Tory minister | Politics | The Guardian
ADVERT
Join the Vox Political Facebook page.
If you have appreciated this article, don’t forget to share it using the buttons at the bottom of this page. Politics is about everybody – so let’s try to get everybody involved!
Vox Political needs your help!
If you want to support this site
(but don’t want to give your money to advertisers)
you can make a one-off donation here:
Buy Vox Political books so we can continue
fighting for the facts.
The Livingstone Presumption is now available
in eBook format here:
Health Warning: Government! is now available
in either print or eBook format here:
The first collection, Strong Words and Hard Times,
is still available in either print or eBook format here:
The Tories have always supported racial bigotry, either overtly like Enoch Powell, or covertly as they are doing now. It’s all part of their divide and rule strategy.
I agree with Nicky Morgan *shudders* The repeated rhetoric used by the MSM and used by so many in the Tory party has convinced the majority a slim majority but millions none the less that the hardships that many face are due to immigrants.
I seriously don’t see how peoples dislike of immigrants can be turned around. Yes Jeremy Corbyns policies are the answer but the wall of hatred that has been built by the right wing (inc those in the Labour party) is so huge it would take years of house building etc to start to chip away at it.
I was hoping that my article might make a small start towards turning matters around.
If someone near you complains about immigrants, it is at least possible to put up a counter argument, e.g. “Why do you think immigrants are responsible for the shortage of housing when the Conservative government has rationed housing provision?” Something like that.
Personally I always argue the case it’s easier face to face too, I attended a football match yesterday at my local club it’s got brilliant disabled facilities, chap looking after a severely disabled lad next to us was Polish, made no jot of difference to us of course apart from the fact he supported Celtic lol listening to him and a friend chat it just struck me how ridiculous this immigration subject it is, we struggle to get carers an awful lot of immigrants have stepped in where others others won’t work, it’s not an easy job and is not for everyone.
I don’t know how to explain to someone that I don’t see colour and a different accent interests me I just see people.
I’ll continue to tell the truth as to why the blame has been put on immigrants, as I know you will Mike, there are problems in some areas language issues and so on create ill feeling again though it comes down to lack of funds, it’s a vicious circle that suits the Tories.
Being in the eu promotes bigotry because it allows people from the mainly white nations of the eu to freely come here whereas the mainly non white people form the other 165 nations have to get visa’s show they have qualifications etc. so the eu is responsible for the outcome.
You are deliberately avoiding the point.
This is not about who immigrates into the UK.
It is about a Conservative government rationing services so people on low or middle incomes are effectively fighting among themselves for them.
Immigrant-blaming is just a consequence of Tory policy.
In a word, YES!