'Dealing with cause of genuine disquiet is vital to longer-term community building,' says Kevin Foster
Former Immigration Minister Kevin Foster writes on what issues are causing unrest in communities
It was not the first six weeks in office even the most ardent critique of Labour would have predicted.
A General Election which, on the face of it, produced a landslide win, should create at least a short honeymoon period for the new Government.
Even those of us who voted Conservative back in 1997, had to admit there was a genuine feeling of national optimism and excitement following the result. Not this time.
All involved in the disorder and violent incitement of recent weeks, regardless of what excuse they offer, should be ashamed of themselves.
You don’t make a rational point about immigration policy by throwing bricks at the police, express dissatisfaction with government decisions by burning down your local library or encourage unity by talking about slitting the throats of those you disagree with.
There will always be a thuggish element which will latch on to any protest or issue. The solution for them is prosecution, yet what about the wider issues which are causing disquiet?
Looking at the scenes of protest, it is those who believe they face mass migration’s impact on their communities in terms of competition for jobs, housing, crime and pressure on vital public services taking part.
For them, the economic growth of recent decades, driven by advancing technology which has seen many semi-skilled jobs automated or production move overseas, is not perceived as having delivered greater prosperity for them. Quite the opposite. Now they see mass migration pushing up the price of housing, whilst pushing down wages.
Hearing politicians talk about exciting opportunities in AI, is not going to provide the hope needed to calm disquiet as they see illegal migrants housed in local hotels, the decline of their local high street and problems with crime/drugs which often blight the same communities.
They voted for Brexit and Boris in the belief they would bring the revival of their towns, with resources being focused on them, not new arrivals. Now many feel both were betrayed by the wider political system, meaning promised changes were not delivered.
In the 1980s Margaret Thatcher’s Government took a hard line with those who had rioted, but also moved to tackle some of the issues concerned. Michael Heseltine delivered a renaissance of Liverpool and London’s Docklands, often in the face of left-wing opposition.
The Labour Government should do the same with the many levelling up projects across the country, especially by slashing planning red tape, which often produces delays and further decay, rather than revival.
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A firm line must be taken with sectors and groups who will constantly be at the Home Office’s door lobbying for more visas and migration, often as an alternative to investment in domestic skills training. Increasing productivity is vital across the UK Economy to provide better-paid jobs for all, something mass migration provides an alternative to.
Ending the small boats crisis is vital. Scrapping Rwanda, with no other third-country deal, and rubber-stamping approvals won’t do this. Labour politicians who parroted “smash the gangs”, will know this was a soundbite, not a solution.
Yet if the boats keep coming Labour will, like its predecessors, look at solutions it would not support now. This must include where to send those who arrive from a safe and democratic country, but who cannot be returned to their home country.
Prosecution is the right response to thuggery and violence, whatever the excuse offered for it. Yet dealing with the causes of genuine disquiet about the direction of local communities and our country is vital to longer-term community building.
