Anti-immigrant sentiment has arguably been bubbling under the surface of the UK for many years. It prompted millions to vote for Brexit and led the Conservative government to propose plans to fly immigrants to migrant camps in Rwanda.
In the wake of far-right rioting that gripped the UK, the new British government will have to pick up the pieces after years of conservative anti-immigration rhetoric.
The right-wing rioting started from misinformation surrounding the murder of three young girls attending a dance workshop in the English town of Southport. Social media users incorrectly identified the attacker as an immigrant and a Muslim.
The misinformation led to a week of rioting which UK Prime Minister described as ‘far-right thuggery.’
However, on Wednesday night UK police who anticipated more rioting from far-right demonstrators were instead met with peaceful anti-racism protesters who showed up in force.
Despite this, anti-immigrant sentiment in the UK has arguably been bubbling under the surface for many years.
It prompted millions to vote for Brexit and led the Conservative government to propose plans to fly immigrants to migrant camps in Rwanda and to put them in barges off the coast.
The new Labour government has now scrapped these policies, calling them gimmicks and a waste of taxpayer money.
The new government must now pick up the pieces after years of Conservative anti-immigration rhetoric and failed policies, which ultimately heightened tensions in the country.
Dr Nigel Fletcher, who was an advisor to former UK Prime Minister David Cameron, believes Labour must do what Conservatives didn’t by taking meaningful action around migration.
“Labour not only has to solve it, but also solve it in a way that is markedly and demonstrably different in tone and substance to how the Conservative government was seeking to respond to it.
Because if they continue with some of the rhetoric and some of the hardline policies that the previous government has, they will alienate parts of their own party.”
The new government in the UK recently announced plans for a Border Security Command to tackle human smuggling gangs, which reflects a broader European struggle with migration.
As the political landscape evolves, the challenge will be to implement effective, humane policies that appease both sides of the political spectrum.
