Immigration is yet again front-page news and, as always, I watch the performative hot takes on the issue by people seeking to outdo each other on how “hardline” they can be. What madness. For those who are hard of thinking: we don’t have to be mean to deal with immigration.
I understand that immigration is a key issue for every government in the world. But what I don’t understand is when talking about this issue how normally sound-minded people like Robert Jenrick can turn into a Right-wing nonsensical man who conflates the issue of immigration with loons at pro-Palestine marches screaming hateful stuff. From where I stand, many of those marching in London over the last few weeks are British. So unless Jenrick is saying only white people can be seen as British, I just don’t get it.
I single out Jenrick because he is the latest poster boy for those on the Right who actually just hate everything, including themselves, and want to use the immigration debate as a cover for their agenda. It is really depressing to see Jenrick join the loons in the Tory party and beyond. Those who think that, in order to sound credible when talking about immigration, you have to performatively beat up some of the most vulnerable in the world. But it does not have to be like that. We can do both: uphold human rights and still have stronger borders.
I know Robert Jenrick and I am not here to appeal to his ‘better’ side because I am not sure if he has one now
I find talking about numbers of immigrants uncomfortable, especially when I am talking to British people. I was not born here. I sometimes think it’s not my place to have strong views and I don’t hold them — I just ask for kindness and logic when discussing the issue. The UK is not the only place that wants to limit people who come into their country. This is an issue for all countries and peoples around the world, black or white. But this country has been my home since I was four, so to see people I respected when I worked with them be dragged into an irrational conversation about immigration means I have to say something.
No country can have open borders, so please don’t think that’s what I am saying. But the reality is that we can and should be compassionate about it. It takes nothing away from a government to be thoughtful when they talk about immigration, and to also understand that many who find themselves as refugees would rather stay in their home country and actually raise their kids there. Like I said, I came to this country as a child and my mother would have happily raised us in Somaliland if she had the choice, but she did not.
Here I am today, part of this country more than the one I was born in. I say that because this is something Jenrick and I could have talked about a few months ago. I knew Jenrick to be a kind and thoughtful human. When Liz Truss was elected PM, I remember running into him and seeing the despair in his face when I talked to him about the fear of his party going to the Right. We mocked the people who had voted for Truss to be leader and we talked about Rishi Sunak being the man for the job. A man he is now attacking in order to side with people I know he does not like, let alone agree with.
I am not here to appeal to Jenrick’s “better” side because I am not sure if he has one now. But I am appealing to countless other members of the Conservative Party and even some in the Opposition to think before they speak about immigration and do away with this idea that being angry or hateful is going to win elections. Upholding international law, respecting the judgments of our country and listening to civil servants who are the backbone of the Home Office is not a sign of weakness, but one of strength. We can see around us what populism has done — it’s just created more hate, anger and poverty.
