I was in Istanbul at a conference at the time of the recent UK Local Elections that took place on 3 May and Nigel Farage leader of the UKIP political party won seats from the Conservative and the Liberal Democrat party won victory in their traditional support areas and exceeded his own expectations and dreams, by increasing its number of council seats from meagre 8 to huge tally of 147 seats overnight.
When I read the news in Turkish newspapers that anti-immigration party had gained votes, I was neither shocked or surprised as the only thought I had at the time was ‘Not again!’
It is not a new political strategy to play the race card during election time, and it is not new as we have seen again in the results that playing around with immigration issues can bring smiles to the party, forces playing that card to win. UKIP has been focusing its efforts on the East European migration to the UK.
Last week, I was talking to someone who is a Tory supporter who said that Farage has been very clever to play with the emotive issues as none of the mainstream Politician’s would dare to tackle the subjects, such as EU membership, smoking in pubs and to stop immigration to the UK. Mr Farage’s masterful act was seen by many as an act of cleverness that led me to think all the other politicians in the mainstream parties are not so smart? I am sure from their focus groups they are just as capable to come up with the kind of ideas that Mr Farage has been peddling.
Since when using very sensitive issues during election time has been termed clever? Or have people forgotten that playing around with subjects like immigration or race can lead to the development of extreme policies? Only just over half a century ago, we all know exactly how a person came to power and how policies on race in particular, were used. And how nearly all Europe suffered by resulting wars due to his fascist and nationalist policies. The loss of innocent human lives and misery of post war rebuilding was the legacy of that person’s rise and fall. Shall we once again be deceived into a sense of false national pride and repeat the past mistakes or do we need to remind ourselves of the horror and the dangers of playing with race and neo national political issues.
While the right wing press and television only discuss the numbers of people entering Britain and taking other people’s houses and jobs, nobody is trying to explain in simple words the real role the new arrivals play in the economy and in the economic growth of Britain. The richness in culture and new blood with new ideas, and most importantly nobody talks about the Britain’s ageing population and the dependency on the working population to support the ever increasing number of pensionable citizens around us. They all need their pensions to be paid by the current taxpayers and the welfare system to maintain the health care services. These services are all under attack and not a word from Mr Farage on the issue of Health or the creaking transport infrastructure.
By enlarge majority of new immigrants who enter Britain are of working age and with employment skills, they pay their income tax and VAT but hardly claim any State benefits. As falsely claimed by Farage, the coming relaxation of the EU States of Bulgaria and Romania will see a huge rise in this area, a claim denied by the Government. And of course the new migrants benefit the Governments Treasury and the wider society including business. The fact that migration helps to reduce dependency ratio should be part of the discussion on immigration policies, but the plausible case is drowned out by the reactionary, short term headlines and opportunistic parties such as UKIP.
Watching on TV a short visit by Mr Farage to Bulgaria with Channel 4 News, on 23rd April 2013 proved the fact, that not everyone in Bulgaria is interested in entering Britain when EU restrictions are lifted next year. Although Mr Farage’s visit to Bulgaria disproved his propaganda that Britain will be flooded by immigrants, he could be heard still insisting at the end of that trip that he still worries that immigrants will enter Britain in big numbers.
The Prime Minister has famously branded UKIP as ‘fruit cakes, loonies and closet racists’. I have to say that it is a bit rich, when you hear that the phone hacking scandal involving sadly Mille Dowler and others, the proprietor of the now defunct News of the World and a collection of papers including the Times and the Sun and Sky TV has been serenading Mr. Farage over the last few months. It was reported that Mr Murdoch had a private lunch with Farage not so long ago and it is not surprising as Mr Murdoch has been anti EU and his interests are clear to wield power and to make lots of money.
The Government tore up its own written Queen speech almost a day after it was delivered and promised to hold a referendum on UK’s continued membership of the EU. So what does this all mean? Will UK have a better chance of collectively in the EU competing as a block, with the emerging powers of the world? UK wants to go it alone against the USA and the rest of the world. This will also threaten the seat that UK has occupied at the UN Security Council as India, Brazil and South Africa want a seat at the table now. One that they are sure to occupy and the only question remains will it be at the expense of UK or France? What is sure is that once the Referendum is held, it will weaken the bargaining power of the UK in Europe and much more importantly across the world? The price may be too much to bear for an ex-colonial and imperialist Britain that is now rediscovering its nationalist fervour. But at what price is the question?
Nigal Farage visited Scotland last week as it was well reported. The Scots certainly did not warm to him and sent him packing back to England along with it his extreme brand of politics. The Scots campaigning for independence from the UK such as Alex Salmond have received an unexpected boost as a result. The Scots certainly do not wish to be outside of the EU.
To cap it all there have been some very high profile outing of UKIP’s newly elected crop of Councillors. In one case a national newspaper has started to expose the vile nature of some of UKIP’s leadership. Writing an open letter to Farage the Mirror stated ‘exposed racist comments from a number of your councillors. Amongst the worst is Chris Pain, the leader of the UKIP group on Lincolnshire County Council.
He wrote, on Facebook, “Have you noticed that if you ¬rearrange the letters in ‘illegal ¬immigrants’, and add just a few more letters, it spells, ‘Go home you free-loading, benefit-grabbing, resource-sucking, baby-making, non-English-speaking ********* and take those other hairy-faced, sandal-wearing, bomb-making, camel-riding, goat-********, raghead ******** with you.’”
These comments by UKIP elected Councillors and officials have taken the wind out of the sails of the extremist BNP party. Some argue that BNP will now fade into UKIP.
The silence from the mainstream political leaders is deafening as they had adopted the ostrich approach to UKIP until May. I am afraid this type of politics will not go away and some of the selfish interest in the media and coupled with the impact of the austerity and flat lining economy will continue to provide more oxygen to Mr Farage as we head towards the EU Elections next year. We have been warned and the future outside EU looks now more real than any time in the past. Roll on May 2014 – the Prime Ministers days at Number 10 and as party leader look numbered as the Tory party once again descends into open civil war, led by the old guard Lord Howe, Tebbit and Lawson. Nigal Farage already enjoys publically declared allies in the Cabinet and Tory heir apparent Michael Gove and not too far behind Mayor of London, Boris Johnson. The summer of fun has stated early – Fruitcake and Pimm’s anyone?
28th May 2013, London
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Semra Eren-Nijhar 