Immigrant bashing - a calculated blame game
24 January 2014 - Robina Qureshi
The constant barrage of anti immigrant rhetoric emanating from UK government ministers and certain tabloid press is sickening. Unfortunately, the BBC seems intent on continuing its obsession and giving airtime to the daily discredited Nigel Farrage who, at every given opportunity, seems quite content to dig himself a deeper hole. They seem to forget about the millions of British immigrants elsewhere in the EU, or the positive benefits of immigration to the UK economy.
Its an undisputable fact that immigrants are far more likely to be net contributors to the UK economy. So Romania's Labour Minister, Mariana Campeanu, has a point when she feels forced to defend her countrymen and women by declaring that Romanians are young, well qualified and keen to work, doing the jobs no one else wants to do, and Britain should be grateful for them. Politicians should be careful of targeting communities in their immoral, calculated blame game. Let's not forget that the UK's coffers are empty, not because of immigrants, asylum seekers, refugees, Muslim or any other kind, but because billions of pounds were spent bombing other people's countries in the US led War of Terror, which in turn increased the world's refugee population.
I hope you will support the Glasgow Campaign to Welcome Refugee's rally and demo, which we are actively supporting. The "Stand up to racism and fascism" rally and demo will take place on 22 March 2014 on UN Anti-Racism Day in Glasgow. Watch this space, and let us wish a warm welcome to the newest member of the EU, Romania.
Robina Qureshi is director of Positive Action in Housing
Photo by PAIH
Service users at PAIH Govanhill surgery