As fingers point at newcomers (and also employers) politicians fail to mention that they are popular employees because, largely, they work hard, are reliable, can read and write, and do not demand high wages. Most significantly, they fill vacancies which British school leavers refuse, or are unqualified, to take: it is a sad indictment on modern education and attitude that most school leavers have an academic level of 11 year olds, and do not understand what a work ethic means. British companies need immigrants – but the figures must be right.
Mistakes have been made about controlling legal and illegal immigration numbers in the past, and while there is work to be done to assess what is sustainable and needs to be done, it is preferable for it to be effected in a measured, courteous and a compassionate way, and one that is non-inflammatory. It would be refreshing to hear words of gratitude for foreign workers who do often menial jobs which would otherwise be unfilled, and for there to be a strategy to help younger, and older, British jobseekers to be ready for work in every sense.
If politicians continue to demonise, directly or indirectly, the migrants who are here, the mood of many citizens will change from one of often grumbling acceptance to one of hostility, judgment and blame, and the smallest incident could become a fire. Fire can do great damage, and so can xenophobia: why can’t our leaders see this?
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