+ Visit Cardiff FC for Latest News, Transfer Gossip, Fixtures and Match Results |
This makes me ashamed to be British.
410E32AA-ED07-4346-A052-417422960796.jpg
The issues people are concerned about are things like:
Cost to taxpayer
Exploitation of the asylum system
Queue jumping and a failure to properly help those most in need.
Facilitating rganised crime
Perceived injustice of paying for accomdation when many here are homeless
Crime or the fear of crime.
Impact on areas they are housed due to closed hotels and lost business etc.
Concerns over the level of growth. From 300 a few hundred five years ago to tens of thousands now. What if that continues?
Are people not allowed to have those concerns? Do they need permission to have them?
The irony is that people who dismiss peoples concerns end up fuelling the feelings and conditions that they profess to object to. If you can't see that something needs to be done then that's up to you, but others can.
There was a senior British military figure on Radio 4 news earlier confirming that this is the case - Afghans who supported the UK military effort coming across in small boats as they believe that official channels will not deliver for them. Those who support this policy should stop and think about that.
I read an interesting bit of analysis yesterday, (apologies because it was in a newsfeed and I can't find it again), which basically said "small boats" are priced in to future votes and the Tories will get little mileage out of it.
The basic thrust is that:
a) Immigration concerns, which peaked at about almost half of voters before Brexit is now considered a vote switching issue in only one in 5 people.
b) People who are considering it an issue worthy of switching a vote are more than likely to switch it away from the Tories because every time "small boats" comes up as an issue it is linked with the party that has been in office for a decade and a bit so trust has gone.
c) If the latest "noise making gimmick" (my words) does not resonate with the 20%. who are overwhelmingly in the Tory camp anyway, then they will still blame the Tories and leap to Farage or elsewhere whilst little or no votes will be attracted by the policy to compensate.
Still, if after years of palpable maladministration you have a shit hand then a bit of bluff and bluster is all you have left I suppose.
Indeed, one of the theoretical benefits of Brexit, which has proven partly true is that it would take the heat off the immigration debate, as the fear many people have with any policy area is when it is (or appears to be) our of control. That is pretty much the situation we have now with our asylum policy and for me an argument for why control of it needs to be reasserted so that people have faith in it and support it because it is helping those most in need and most deserving, whilst delivering it in an orderly and managed way.
No. My comments above are about the legal immigration system.
I think it is perfectly reasonable to be concerned about the asylum system being exploited by criminal gangs and those who are not the most deserving, whilst costing taxpayers millions. I've said that for months and months. I get and respect why people are concerned.
I'd say the niche opinion is those who compare anything they don't like to the Nazis.
What was it the other week? Ah yes, Andrew Bridgen comparing covid vaccines to the Holocaust.
https://news.sky.com/story/tory-mp-andrew-bridgen-who-lost-whip-after-comparing-covid-vaccines-to-holocaust-defends-remarks-12785129
This week it's Lineker comparing clamping down on asylum system abuse to the rise of the nazis.
They are both niche opinions
Think you made your point the first go. The added bit seems like a bit of rhetorical angst
Always nice to end up agreeing on something.
For my couple of pennyworth I can see how people see some of the current language being used as similar to that deployed by the Nazis in the early 30s. The fact that the Nazis ended up as they did in 1945 is the greatest protection against it ever happening again. The likelihood in a country like ours with centuries of democratic tradition even less so.
Overdramatic comparisons about what a desperate government is doing draws light away rather than shines towards in my opinion.
He’ saying quite accurately that some of the language being used is similar to that used in 1930s Germany. It should act as a warning to us all to be vigilant against it.
Here is a holocaust survivor saying the exact same thing!
https://twitter.com/freefromtorture/status/1614172335921303554?s=46&t=5XvNdsdmLTsVTx09ZSEfIA
Again, the stark difference here is that the Nazis repressed and then slaughtered Jews (and others). Jews were not paying thousands of pounds to enter Germany. That some people fail to grasp this very basic and very important fact is difficult for me to comprehend to be honest. Indeed it these absurd accusations were correct then why would anyone want to come here? Either you are wrong or you think these people are stupid and/or suicidal?
We all know that people don't seriously think this is remotely comparable to Nazi Germany, but it's a handy and emotive tool to batter the government with whilst ignoring the real issues. People don't care that it will cause genuine concern for some vulnerable people. Whats a bit of scaremongering if you can play party politics eh?
The reality is that all policy areas in every government in every country and sometimes tightened up and sometimes liberalised, be that welfare, tax avoidance, speed limits or in this case the asylum system? Why? Because the system is being abused and isn't working.
By definition, the asylum process willy only ever involve foreign nationals. As such when this process is tightened (as is deemed necessary) it will require tough language that only applies to foreign nationals by definition.
As an example, when other parties talked of being 'tough on crime' this is also the same kind of thing the Nazis said, as they had a very illiberal approach to crime punishment. It doesn't mean being tough on crime here, in 2023 means we are becoming like the nazi state.
Honestly, these comparisons are so fkn disrespectful to the millions of genuine victims of fascism it beggars belief that people are so casual about making them.
Ninian, you (and Lineker) seem to be suggesting that we are akin to 1930s Germany. I am saying we aren't, but we actually are trying to fix a broken and abused system.
Some facts from 1930s Germany:
Adolf Hitler gained power in Jan 1933.
Dachau (the first concentration camp) opened in March 1933
An election took place in November 1933 in which the Nazis were the sole party and thus held every seat in the Reichstag.
Within 12 years tens of millions across the world were dead.
Now I am more than willing to put money towards any charity you choose that if we are currently in the equivalent of 1933 (as the analogy suggests - a powerful fascist govt abusing foreigners) that in the coming year we will NOT be opening concentration camps or suspending democracy and this will NOT lead to millions of deaths.
What do you reckon? Happy to take up the bet or do you think the analogy is a bit weak?
Maybe we could just start shooting the migrants and homeless for sport.
Thats got to be a vote winner