This is England: Is Immigration a Problem in the UK or have we been lied to?

In 2012 I was lucky enough to go to the Olympics in London. Surprisingly one of my stand out memories was the tube journey and the walk into the Olympic Park. There were thousands of us walking together. Young, Old and somewhere in-between. A diverse mix of cultures and skin colours. Strangers chatted to each other, the atmosphere was incredible. People actually smiled at each other on the tube! It was a feeling of unity and pride. I felt proud of my country and what we stood for.

Four years later the EU referendum happened and the word ‘Brexit’ entered our vocabulary. Suddenly we were a divided nation. It was the first time that I can remember that social media played a big part. Because it wasn’t just your friends and families discussing the vote, it felt like the whole world. Immigration became a hugely divisive topic and has continued to be for the last 8 years.

I wanted to write something on the subject because I think it’s an important issue facing the country. And, if I am honest, if you are someone who believes asylum seekers are taking our jobs and our houses, I would love the opportunity to change your mind if you give me a chance. Is immigration a problem in the UK?

The definitions

Immigrants and asylum seekers are entering the UK for different reasons. But I feel we switch the words causing blurred lines between the definitions.

Immigrant: Someone who has applied to live here in the same way we might apply to emigrate to Spain or Australia. By moving to the UK they must be able to work here and provide for themselves.

Illegal Immigrant: Someone who is living and working here without permission. They cannot claim any benefits or they will be found out and sent home.

Asylum Seekers: Those fleeing war torn countries and seeking refugee status. They must prove they are being persecuted because of either their race, religion, nationality, or gender. Asylum seekers are not allowed to work until they have refugee status.

Refugee: An asylum seeker who has been given refugee status. An individual granted refugee status has 4 weeks to find alternative accommodation and a job. They can apply for the same benefits as UK residents, but do not get more money or preferential treatment.

Brexit Referendum & Lies

This isn’t about who you vote for, but I do believe a huge amount of fear mongering went on during the Brexit campaign regarding immigration. Political advertising campaigns are not subject to the same laws as normal advertising campaigns. They can inflate figures and say things that are not true without any repercussions. I believe we all have the right to make an informed decision based on truths.

I believe the Conservative government have used asylum seekers as scapegoats for problems with the NHS and their own failings with leaving the EU. But they should be accountable for the lies they have told. Because at the end of the day, whether you voted to leave or remain, no one got what they wanted, or were led to believe they would get.

These are just some of the lies that politicians told us during the referendum campaign, that have been proved wrong by many qualified people.

LIE! We send the EU £350m a week. (Remember that bus!)
LIE! Turkey (population 76 million) is joining the EU. Vote Leave, take back control. (Scaremongering. Turkey is still not part of the EU 8 years later)
LIE! Cheaper food AFTER EU exit (Food inflation in the UK is currently running at 19.1% a year, the highest level in 45 years.)
LIE! We will have the powers to deport and turn immigrants away and close our borders. (The European Court of Human Rights says otherwise)

Their closed-borders-small-island-little-Britain lie has had long lasting and deeply damaging impacts. The number of hate crimes doubled in the days after the referendum and jumped by 41% in the month following it. Their pledges weren’t just empty, but also deeply dangerous. Hate crimes have continued to rise year on year since the 2016 referendum. The problem is getting worse.

Language

Personally I do not believe the numbers of asylum seekers are the real issue. I believe asylum seekers, refugees and immigrants have been demonised through the language politicians and certain arms of the media (The Daily Mail) use.

Illegal – It is not a crime to flea your country and seek somewhere safe to stay.
Swarms – The term refers to swarms of locusts who arrive in large numbers and destroy everything in their path.
Hardly referring to individuals as asylum seekers and refugees, but instead dehumanising people by making them a faceless group.

This language fuels racism against asylum seekers, and spreads. It causes white supremacists to believe they have strength in numbers. It causes riots.

What do the British Public Think?

I do believe that a large part of the British population is inherently racist. And if you supported the recent riots, yes, you are racist. But I loved the huge number of people that peacefully protested against racism and outnumbered the far right thugs in what politicians would call landslide numbers. It reminded me that there are always good people.

But what about the large group in the middle. The large group that wouldn’t dream of rioting, hurting people or destroying property. But like many of us no longer know what to believe when it comes to what politicians say and the things we read on social media.

What about your average person that was told by a mate that someone they know came from the Ukraine and was given a four bedroom house and doesn’t have to work because their benefits pay for everything. That person has no reason to not believe their friend. But where did that friend get that information?

I would argue that a lot of British people think asylum seekers are a big problem, but could not actually tell you how or why with any facts or figures to support their argument.

Misinformation

There needs to be reform when it comes to social media and misinformation. It is increasingly difficult to tell fact from fiction. As I write this I have just seen Elon Musk retweet a fake headline. A fake headline that read:

“Keir Starmer considering building ’emergency detainment’ camps on the Falkland Islands.”

This is a lie. A lie that Elon Musk has retweeted as a fact to his 190 million followers.

We get our information and our news from people who are not experts. People who have millions of followers have a responsibility about what they share.

Nigel Farrage shouldn’t be allowed to question publicly why police are withholding information about a suspect, when he knows full well that the suspect was under 18 and the police would have acted illegally had they released that information before a judge ruled that they could do so.

We live in a world of conspiracy theories, and I would personally hate to be so cynical that I couldn’t accept the truth.

Maybe I am over simplifying things? Maybe things need to be simplified?

Immigration Facts:

The Numbers

Immigration often provides an economic net benefit to the UK economy, as well as helping to maintain the working-age population while also plugging the current skills gap in many industries.
At the end of 2021 6.0 million people were living in the UK who had the nationality of a different country. That equates to 9% of the total population.
Immigration numbers rose steadily throughout the 2010s, then rapidly from 2021 onwards to reach 81,130 applications in 2022. In reality we would have always seen a rise in 2021 when the borders reopened after the pandemic.
In 2023, asylum seekers and refugees made up around 11% of immigrants to the UK.

In 2022, there were around 13 asylum applications for every 10,000 people living in the UK. Across the EU27 there were 22 asylum applications for every 10,000 people. The UK was therefore below the average among EU countries for asylum applications per head of population, ranking 19^th.Countries accepting more asylum seekers than us include but are not limited to Turkey, Germany, Poland, France, Uganda, USA, and Spain.
Not all asylum applications are successful. In 2023, 33% were refused at initial decision.
Asylum seekers applying for refugee status have a long wait ahead of them. There is no maximum time frame for applications to be processed. 65% of applicants have been waiting for more than six months.
Since 2021 only 25% of asylum seekers have received a decision on their application. The rest are still waiting in appalling conditions.

Where do asylum seekers go?

People seeking asylum are banned from working and are provided with a £7 per day from the Government to cover the costs of their basic necessities. For context, job seekers is £90.50 per week. Housing Benefit is £201.37 per week. £291.87 per week without other benefits.

The Home Office provides accommodation on a no-choice basis. There are not five star hotels. Far from it. The accommodation is basic. Normally a hotel, hostel or bed and breakfast. Asylum seekers are not allowed out at night and are not allowed visitors.

The moment someone receives a positive decision on their asylum claim should be one of celebration and relief, an end to instability, and the start of a bright future where they are able to establish new lives in the UK. Instead, they are faced with a cliff edge and no support to find new housing, open a bank account, and secure income, among other activities needed before being evicted, many refugees are at significant risk of homelessness and/or destitution.

In August 2023, the Home Office made changes that has increased the risks of homelessness and destitution. Statistics from the Department for Levelling-Up, Housing and Communities show that street homelessness among those leaving asylum accommodation has risen sharply, from 44 people in July 2023 to 469 in December 2023.

Asylum Costs

The amount of aid spent on hosting refugees and asylum seekers in the UK continued to rise last year to £4.3 billion. That’s a big number, but a number without context. When you give it context perhaps it doesn’t seem as big?

The context…

It is these facts and figures that make me question if we’ve been lied to. Is immigration a problem, if it is, is it perhaps a smaller problem than politicians would have us believe?

Compassion

What would you do? I’ll admit I am not the biggest fan of open water, and travelling across the English channel on a tiny boat does not appeal to me in the slightest. But it does make me realise how desperate asylum seekers are. It does make me question what I would do to protect my family from persecution and death. Suddenly a small boat and a big ocean seems appealing. It does make me question why as a nation we do not have more compassion for those in need.

The Issue Facing The Country

Some may call me a ‘bleeding heart liberal’, That’s ok. We are all entitled to an opinion. But that opinion should be based on truths.

There is an important conversation to be had about immigration and asylum seekers. I am not naive. I know we are only a small island, and realistically we cannot give everyone somewhere safe to come.

I don’t think immigration can be solved by a country on it’s own. The same as climate change. I think all countries need to work together to solve the problems.

I do believe that the combination of the referendum, misinformation, and language used by politicians had bred more racism in this country, and that should not be tolerated.

I am not an expert. But I do believe we should all do our bit to stand against racism. To tell those people who right now are afraid to leave their homes, that we support them. This convoluted stream of thought is my way of flipping the bird to the far right thugs.

But I do wonder if as a country we will ever feel united again?

What do you think? Is immigration a problem?

Sources

These are all statics and laws from the government website, the refugee council UK, and Crisis.

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