I checked Labour’s 2024 general election manifesto on immigration. “We have a proud tradition of welcoming people fleeing persecution and abuse,” it says.
Perhaps there was a mix-up at the printers, because they forgot to say, “Within the first year of the Parliament, we will make a speech echoing Enoch Powell. In year two, we will start to seize the jewellery of vulnerable people fleeing war by enacting a policy that evokes scenes from Schindler‘s List.”
Labour: betraying its own manifesto (again)
In case you missed it, Alex Norris, minister of state for border security and asylum, was interviewed on Sky News. The Labour government had briefed journalists that asylum seekers would have their jewellery and other assets seized to pay for their stays in detention centres and overcrowded hostels. Pressed on the issue by Sophie Ridge, he said that people’s heirlooms would not be confiscated. Or their wedding rings. How kind. But if they had a bag of jewellery, it would be. Presumably the underpaid and overstretched public servants processing asylum claims will now go on a special two week course run by the Antiques Roadshow.
Labour home secretary Shabana Mahmoud said, “Dark forces are stirring up anger in this country, and seeking to turn that anger into hate. We must take the opportunity we have to stop that from happening.” Presumably by doing their job for them.
With the subtext reader turned on, Mahmoud said, “Frankly, I’m sickened by my own actions, but I’m part of a clueless government that thought saying ‘growth’ often enough would fix everything. Now we’re out of our depth and panicking because we’re fourth in the polls. And rather than open safe and legal routes which would actually be quite popular, we’ve decided to roll in behind the people shouting at hotels.”
Where are the legal routes?
The quickest way to stop the small boats would be to allow asylum seekers to use safe and legal routes. No one is going pay a huge wad of cash to get in a dinghy when you can go to the ferry terminal and buy a ticket. It is alarming that a government so obsessed with the magic growth bunny cannot grasp basic supply and demand.
British public opinion supports safe and legal routes for asylum seekers, with 43% in favour vs 28% against. Despite the best efforts of the government and billionaire backed media, 29% are still undecided.
If I lived in a war zone, or was in danger of being imprisoned and tortured for standing up for democracy, or was stricken by poverty, I’d be trying to get out of the country with my wife and kids. Overall 87% of Britons support the idea of us giving refuge to those fleeing persecution.
Yet despite language claiming that safe and legal routes will be opened, Labour’s own announcement says something different. Every mention of new routes refers to refugees, who will come on capped and approved schemes. There is no mention of asylum seekers. Part of the divisive strategy around migration is to deliberately muddy the terms. As defined by the United Nations, refugees are former asylum seekers who have had their claim processed and been granted refugee status. An asylum seeker is someone whose claim has not yet been processed. They do not have refugee status.
Conspicuously missing from any government announcement is the fact that migration has huge economic benefits. Half of all UK immigrants are overseas students who contribute a whopping £41.9 billion to the UK economy. It’s also a source of immense soft power for Britain globally to have so many professionals educated here.
Labour sell outs
I don’t believe Mahmood and her Labour cabinet colleagues got into politics to beat down on some of the world’s most vulnerable citizens. I do believe that when push comes to shove they will sell out anyone to protect their jobs and the white colonial infrastructure the UK is built on.
Unfortunately for all of us, they are really very bad at their jobs.
These are the geniuses that tried to prevent a leadership challenge against Starmer by announcing Starmer would stand in any leadership challenge. They seem to take their latest inspiration from Denmark, briefing that the Danish Social Democrats are doing something similar to fight off the far right. Yet a ten second Google search tells you that this very policy is likely to lose them control of Copenhagen for the first time in a century, driving progressive voters to the Red Green Alliance.
It’s a pity that Starmer, Reeves and co haven’t followed the Danes’ other policies. They tax capital gains up to 42% compared to Britain’s top rate of 28%. This funds free university and excellent public services, giving them the world’s second highest standard of living.
It is ironic that Labour are introducing a wealth tax on asylum seekers, but not on billionaires.
Featured image via the Canary
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