A Mug's Game – Andy Burnham and Immigration

A Greater Manchester perspective? 

So out of the blue, as part of the campaign to be elected Mayor of Greater Manchester, comes a report that ‘The free movement of people within the European Union has made British streets unsafe’.

And that “The status quo – full free movement – was defeated at the ballot box and therefore not an option. We need to make the argument for an immigration system that allows for greater control, reduce the numbers coming here, but does so in a fair way.”

The UKIP policy on immigration bases itself on fairness [1] . But these quotes are not from UKIP, they are from the Labour Party candidate Andy Burnham [2].

My first reaction was a less polite version of ‘Goodness me’, but a quick google search shows Burnham has been back and forth on the issue over time [3].

From his leadership campaign against Jeremy Corbyn last year he said "What I would say as shadow home secretary is that from here we need to review how freedom of movement works in practice and look at some of those issues that Jeremy Corbyn has raised in this campaign. Issues like, pressures on public services, because often its the more deprived communities that have to absorb that pressure without extra funding. That can't be right," he said. "It also can't be right that people can be brought in from other countries when their employment is still in their country of origin and then employed here to undercut wages - there needs to be a review." [4]

Typical right wing positioning is to put deprivation and immigration next to each other in an argument and let the public make the association. So to make the argument on ‘pressures on public services’, its ‘freedom of movement’ that’s the issue more than cuts and austerity. Not that those services have been cut to the bone but that they need ‘extra funding’ because of the ‘freedom of movement’.

So let me place Andy Burnham, UKIP, Tories, xenophobia, and racism next to each other but not make any association.

Its painful that I can’t write a positive response to this position from the Labour candidate.

My family are immigrants, my friends are. My neighbours, colleagues, my children’s friends, the people I buy from, the people I read.

And it’s a choice. What starting point do you take on what the people of Greater Manchester think?

Burnham says “The 700,000 people in Greater Manchester who voted to leave – many of them lifelong Labour voters – voted for change on immigration. I am quite clear about that and that has to be our starting point in this debate.” [5]

Well mine is “600,000 people in Greater Manchester are living in extreme poverty, they voted to change this so how do we get them out of it” [6]

This immigration language is an insult and we don’t need or want it in Greater Manchester.

As far as I’m concerned, Andy can pack his bags and his ‘Controls on Immigration mug’ and go back to Westminster where he belongs.

Notes

1. http://www.ukip.org/ukip_launches_immigration_policy

2. http://uk.businessinsider.com/andy-burnham-claimed-eu-immigration-risks-violence-on-the-streets-2016-12

3. http://order-order.com/2016/09/28/andy-burnham-immigration-flip-flop/

4. http://www.cityam.com/244029/eu-referendum-andy-burnham-says-immigration-works-practice

5. https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/political-parties/labour-party/andy-burnham/news/81532/andy-burnham-blasts-labour-support

6. http://www.cles.org.uk/news/half-of-greater-manchester-households-in-danger-of-falling-below-poverty-line-report-says/

Read Full Article >>

Brexit, Racism and Accountability

Brexit - Voting to Leave

Brexit surprises - the ‘Out’ result itself, who voted out and the ensuing political turmoil.

Generally, the media has characterised those who voted out as the disenfranchised white working class, and given the spread of the ‘Out’ vote, this applies to most of the country.

The rise in attacks and abuse against Asians, Blacks and Europeans has been swift. Many column inches have been devoted to ‘Shock’, pointing to the effects of austerity and the words of grey, white people in small towns.

But England and its people hasn't substantially changed over the years and certainly not since the EU referendum vote. For some, it would seem, are now more comfortable being openly racist because, through the vote, they believe most people think like them.

And the fault for this lies squarely with the leaders of this country.

Recently, too many politicians have taken Race and used it to demonise as a cover for the negative consequences of their policies or the deficit in their thinking.

They have 'weaponised' it.

Race played a major part in last year’s General Election with the main parties all promising to be tough on immigrants and doing nothing to dampen down the resulting xenophobia. 

The Labour Party even produced its infamous 'Controls on Immigration' mugs.

The recent London Mayoral campaign was openly Islamophobic.

The use of high levels of fear by BOTH the Remain and Brexit campaigns was new, with Brexit basing their fear platform on immigration and Europeans.

That immigrants and Europe have been the main cause of England's problems – lack of services, housing, jobs - was not only a central plank of Brexit but also often used by the government over the years.

By voting 'Out', the majority of the public accepted these argument.

What have politicians been doing to allay these fears? 

Nothing. 

Leadership battles have turned politicians inward instead of outwards to the country. No-one is trying to close the wounds this campaign has opened.

A pox on all their houses. Blame for this situation should be pointed in the right direction.

So what does this mean for the Greens?

• The national leadership to be much more vocal about their anti-racist policies and practices.
• Hold any racist, xenophobic actions and policies of the other parties to account.
• Local parties to be much faster to condemn racist incidents wherever they happen in the country.
• Show more diversity in its leadership platform.Its done that relatively successfully over the last couple of years with Shahrar Ali and Amelia Womack presenting a different complexion to its membership, Natalie Bennett covering almost every inch of the country in support of local members and Caroline Lucas retaining her popularity with the press.

If though, as a party, we are going back to having a white, middle aged, middle class leadership, that is a statement in itself.

Read Full Article >>

MGP Public Event: Civil Liberties vs Terrorism - Thursday May 8th 7pm

Green Party policy says ‘In a complex, modern society, it will be a long time before we can eradicate the root causes of ‘terrorism’. Any measures to protect society should not undermine the fundamental values that shape a green society: inclusion, justice, equality.

Police and intelligence activity need to be well-resourced, and given sufficient freedom to ensure their safety and efficacy. They must, though be carried out in a transparent and accountable way, and remain within the law’ PD – Peace and Defense Policy Document (2008)

But over time the law has evolved to include pre-charge detention, ‘control orders’, ‘Section 7’ as well as changes to Immigration and Communication Law. The inception of private communications outside of the law has been well documented.

These changes are only part of the government’s counter-terrorism strategy, CONTEST (the main threads of which are Prevent, Pursue, Protect, Prepare) which aims "to reduce the risk to the UK and its interests overseas from terrorism, so that people can go about their lives freely and with confidence."

But strategy has been criticised for many reasons including 

• The underlying analysis and theory has been described as flawed.
• Legal and other bodies have pointed to the erosion of Civil Liberties of British citizens
• The focus on the mainstream Muslim community.

What is the justification for the anti-terrorism strategy as its current written? How effective is it? Should we expect to lose some of our rights in exchange for safety? Whats the balance between fighting Terrorism and Civil Liberties?

What is it like to be caught in the middle of this?

We are pleased to announce our speakers for the event:

Alex Davidson, Secretary of Manchester and Trafford Socialist Party

and

Harris and Zulaikha Ahmed from the SAVE THE FAMILY HOME campaign

Thursday May 8^th 2014 at 7pm – 9pm

Venue: Friends Meeting House. 6 Mount Street, M2 5NS Manchester

For more information contact chair@manchestergreenparty.org.uk or go to

https://www.facebook.com/events/287719961387695/

Read Full Article >>