I was asked by Left Foot Forward to comment on the immigration proposals announced by the Government this week. This is what I said:
“Making sure people have confidence in their borders and sovereignty is important. But if the Government thinks this week’s hard-line immigration shift will help halt the nosedive in its support, they’re wrong.”
“Evidence from other countries shows many voters will see this as extreme and cruel. Others will see it for the desperate political posturing it is and turn further to the authoritarian right, who’ll move on to saying even the Home Secretary’s performative cruelty doesn’t go far enough.”
“We are looking at a fundamental shift in the role of the state and how it treats rights. History is littered with examples of people on the margins – prisoners, the homeless, people on benefits – being used by governments to push through conditionality.”
“I would say to the public, look beyond tough talk about deporting children and see how the government used this announcement to double down on rolling out hugely unpopular digital ID cards. A voiceless group of people is being used to usher in such policies. Do you think it is going to end there?”