In a letter to the Guardian, Simon Steyne, a former senior adviser on fundamental rights at work at the International Labour Organization, argues that Andy Burnham, the Labour mayor of Greater Manchester, has an opportunity to win back anti-racist former Labour supporters by supporting migrants and rejecting xenophobic policies.
The Impact of Draconian Immigration Bills
Steyne references a Guardian editorial on the immigration bill, which noted that each turn toward draconian measures reinforces voters' belief that the system is out of control, encouraging support for extreme opposition parties. He points out that besides diehard racists, many people have been convinced that migration and asylum pose existential threats to Britain.
The government, Steyne says, refuses to present contrary evidence, and most mainstream media persistently conflates migration with asylum, undocumented entry, smuggling, and trafficking. They focus heavily on small boat crossings but neglect the absence of safe routes. Steyne also highlights that the 1951 UN refugee convention lacks a “first safe country” provision, meaning few refugees would be in the UK if such a rule existed.
A Potential Shift Among Labour Supporters
Steyne suggests that while Labour supporters might compromise on economic policy, anti-racist progressives see anti-migrant rhetoric and the infliction of suffering on refugees as moral red lines. He notes that migrants and their descendants live throughout Britain, and suggests studying six London boroughs where the Green party is strong. These areas are overwhelmingly remain-voting and highly cosmopolitan, with majorities descended from migrants or recent arrivals.
Andy Burnham, Steyne argues, has a chance to speak truthfully about the normality and benefits of migration, and about the UK's obligations under the 1951 UN refugee convention. By acting accordingly, he could win back anti-racist former Labour supporters who reject xenophobic migration policies and performative cruelty, including against asylum-seeking children, which Labour peer Alf Dubs has condemned.
