Dr Maya Goodfellow, an academic and author, has analysed a worrying trend in British politics where politicians increasingly adopt far-right language on asylum and immigration. This summer, remarks that would have been unsayable a decade ago have become common, according to Nosheen Iqbal.
Examples include shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick stating he would not want his daughters living near 'men from backward countries who broke into Britain illegally', and Reform MPs claiming women in the UK are at risk from men from 'predominantly Muslim countries'. Such rhetoric, Dr Goodfellow argues, identifies asylum seekers as criminals and a threat to young women and girls.
The trend extends to the highest levels of government, with politicians frequently using language that mirrors that of the far right. This shift marks a significant change in how migration and asylum are discussed in UK politics.
