How foreigners became the convenient scapegoat of the referendum campaign | LSE

Last Updated: October 31, 2016By

161031-xenophobiaThis is interesting, because This Writer came to the same conclusion completely independently.

I argued that Tories have re-introduced rationing – of education, healthcare, housing and more – and then allowed UK citizens to blame it on migrant workers.

I wrote: “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?”

Interesting to see the LSE actually coming out and criticising the government over this.

Brexit, the campaign to leave, was never about the EU; it wasn’t even really about immigration; it was about foreigners. But the government’s own position was fatally compromised because it was unable to confront the use of xenophobia.

The campaigning use of immigration was to identify an enemy, exaggerated and partly imagined as enemies always are in this familiar political tactic, who could be blamed for longer waiting lists in the NHS, overcrowded class rooms in schools, reduction in public services. The government could never say these worsening of the conditions of the people were not because of immigration but because of its own old-fashioned economic liberal policy of austerity.

The government has avoided, once again, taking the blame for the erosion of public services, but at the cost of the unity of its party and its country.

Source: How foreigners became the convenient scapegoat of the referendum campaign | British Politics and Policy at LSE

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2 Comments

  1. NMac October 31, 2016 at 9:13 am - Reply

    As Labour peer Roger Liddle has said, he hopes he lives to see the day the nasty characters in the Tory Party who are responsible for this ugly, nasty situation and mess are brought to book. I agree with him, but won’t hold my breath.

  2. Zippi October 31, 2016 at 11:15 am - Reply

    Although I sure that there is some truth in this, it is not the only reason why E.U. immigrants found themselves in the spotlight. E.U. immigration has been on the lips of many people for many years, long before the Tories got their nasty feet back under the table, thanks to the £iberal Democrats. The Tories may have amplified the situation with their austerity, those parts of the referendum campaigning merely reinforced what many people felt, already; remember that many opponents of E.U. immigration were, themselves, immigrants. I’m not saying that it’s right but to think that this was something that was created by the referendum is naïve. To be fair, there is a difference between immigration policy and immigrants, however, the result, as felt by people, is largely the same; in some places, it is fine, in others, not. As I have said, many times, too many people came in too short a space of time; that’s what people saw and felt.
    Of course, there were some who did fall into that trap, however, I am saying the the issue of E.U. immigration has existed for a long time.
    Note, I am NOT defending the Tories!

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