If comment pieces were votes, we would have defeated the United Kingdom Independence party already and would no longer have to worry about having been 600 votes away from a disastrous by-election defeat last week. But they are not. None of the ‘easy’ responses to Ukip have yet worked – ignore them; talk about talking about immigration more; tell everyone you are listening to them, et cetera.
There is no magic bullet to dealing with this uncharted political territory. As I argued in a recent Progress piece neither ignoring nor obsessing is the best response to the Ukip threat and the main battle is on the doorstep and in ensuring that all seats campaign like marginals.
Having said all that, here are three more reflections to add to the mix!
First, policy is not always the answer. Yes I know I criticised our policy review for being, like a pregnant panda, short on results. In the case of taking on Ukip, I was wrong. Ukip support comes from those ‘left behind’ economically as well as alienated from politics. A very interesting blog from the House of Commons Library shows a strong correlation between areas with high Ukip support and low skill levels. We already have good policies to respond to these economic and social issues. The minimum wage including tackling the poor payers at source; more routes to vocational education and apprenticeships; help for your kids to get their first home and welfare reform based on a something-for-something approach are all strong things to talk about.
I am less convinced that we need more new policy on immigration. I have always argued that dealing with the transitional impacts in communities is more important than promising to clamp down further on those coming to Britain from the European Union or beyond. In government we already put in place an Australian-style points-based system. We could make some changes in criteria; we should certainly continue to strengthen our border management. But are we really going to compete with Nigel Farage on banning people with HIV? Of course not. We do not believe in a big further tightening of immigration; this government have proved it is difficult to deliver anyway; and the electorate would not believe us even if we made that pledge.
So if it is not new policy which makes the difference, what is it? We need people to trust that ‘we get it’. Ed and the top team need to be seen in the right place, at the right time with the right instincts – those that chime with people who don’t feel they are getting a fair deal. Who, in Ed’s words, really do feel that they are ‘on their own’. When something looks and feels unfair, we should say so even if we have not worked out the detail of our policy response and know that the problem may be more complicated. For example, you do not get permission to talk about the complexity of English votes for English laws unless you acknowledge the unfairness. When Ed has responded quickly to perceived injustice as with phonehacking, he gets credit and takes the initiative. Gut is as important as intellect in politics.
Third, this is not some coded call to replace Ed as leader. He should stay. And, what is more, the rest of us should shut up about leadership and do what we can to share the strain and support those at the top and on the doorstep working around the clock. If the charge against us is that politicians are only bothered about their own careers and never listen, it is madness to respond by speculating about who our next boss should be!
Right – that’s it. I am taking my own advice for once – getting off the laptop and onto the doorstep!
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Jacqui Smith is a former home secretary, writes the Monday Politics column for Progress, and tweets @Jacqui_Smith1
The biggest immigration driver is the bringing in of relatives after the individual. Remove that right and cut immigration by a third immediately. The right to a family life does not mean it should be here, if their family are elsewhere, they can have their family life elsewhere.
Also it is about being able to claim benefits from day one in a non-contributory welfare system unlike the rest of the EU where an individual must pay in a set amount before eligible. The big benefit costs are housing benefit and tax credits. This also causes big resentment.
Will someone please publish figures about immigrants from EU? E.g. How many single people working; how many married people working but with no family; how many people with families? How many do claim benefits? What sort? How many pay taxes? etc. Does anybody really know these details? Are they counted or recorded? If not we have no idea what anybody is talking about.
EU immigration is a big problem. Lack of statistics and planning. Wages down, rents up,lack of school places, the situation is a gift to UKIP and other extremists and opportunists. Our core vote is fed up with total lack of action or understanding. Our front bench looks feeble and we seem to be sleepwalking to defeat. Blair cabinet has a lot to answer for as on this issue no eye on the ball and now we are paying the price.
“We do not believe in a big further tightening of immigration; this government have proved it is difficult to deliver anyway; and the electorate would not believe us even if we made that pledge.”
Jacqui, I really don’t want to be rude, but which part of the message that every opinion poll, the Heywood byelection, the Clacton byelection, and a huge number of comments from outside your tiny Oxbridge/Guardian bubble, do you not understand?
You’re not convinced that we need a new policy on immigration? After being in the government that enable 4 million people to arrive in less than a decade, with no planning, no infrastructure development, no thought of the impact on the existing population, no thought about community cohersion as extended familes continue to arrive en masse? That called everyone racist, or bigoted who dared question the “success” of this policy you couldn’t even promote honestly?
And you want anyone to take you seriously and listen to you now? No chance. Because if you really think that not having a further tightening of immigration is a vote winner, or that 250,000 per year is a sustainable number you are even more out of touch than I feared.
IT IS NOT RIGHT WING TO CONTROL IMMIGRATION. Do you really not get this? Are you that in thrall to either big business that benefits from cheap labour, or guilt wridden pseudo liberals who can’t get over the fact that we once had an empire.
Current immigration levels are an absolute disaster. Saying there’s not much wrong is not just a vote loser but a sign that you are not listening and don’t even care what most people think. Enough, Jacqui. You really don’t get it. A long period of silence on your part would be welcome.
Jacqui is middle class and does very nicely out of it like many others. Home values increase & if a landlord then rents they charge increase. Any business interests and they benefit as employee wages can be cut. None of this suits the poor but many in Labour long ago stopped worrying about that.
For me Jacqui is right. She’s right to say don’t blame the people blame the system and instead of engaging in a losing battle with the Tories and UKIP on who can be hardest on immigration. We should be offering a clear alternative on immigration and be the pro-immigration party, I think us conceding to the right on immigration just makes it a bigger issue, in 2005 Michael Howard attacked Tony Blair over immigration constantly and Howard lost an election he probably should have won.
Since 2005 2 million more people arrived though and the effects are felt more and more widely. Couple that with neo-liberal policies from all parties and near financial collapse and the issue has far wider resonance.
“and be the pro-immigration party”
Cameron, Clegg and Farage will be delighted when labour comes out with that one. And we can look forward to another ten years of powereless opposition.
If Labour policy is to continue to allow unlimited immigration, despite the terrible pressures on public health, employment, housing, education and energy services, I despair, truly, I despair. If the only way to prevent our precious welfare systems being crushed by numbers is to leave the EU, then leave the EU we absolutely must.
Jacqui
I believe the fear that is gripping us as a Party is that for so long we have been the party of equality, tolerance and support for a multi-ethnic society we cannot get to grips with the UKIP issue for fear of appearing to ditch our values of compassion, tolerance and internationalism.
However, if we listen to people on the door-step it’s the impact of EU immigration that they are concerned about and its apparent unfairness. In my Ward (I am a Ward Councillor) many of our Gujerati Indian voters are leaving the area and are doubtful about voting for us because we are silent on the issue of EU Immigaration.
We need to say loudly and clearly that as other EU countries do EU migrants can only have access to benefits and public services if they are coming here to work and have a job to go to and they have work for at least 12 months. We need to clearly link our Minimum Wage commitment to preventing employers from cutting wages by using EU migrants as cheap labour. We need to announce a radical review of how public money is allocated as it does not keep up with the pressures put on services by EU immigration.
I believe if we announced such an approach we would be soon as credible as some of our votrs who are currently Don’t Know.
Barry, you are right as far as it goes. A contribution based welfare system is one promise we should make. EU immigration is a problem because of the sheer numbers. 4 million people in a decade is unprecedented and they have not contributed eneough to the collective pot to take much out. Its about fairness.
And we are not alone in this. Northern and Scandinavian EU members have all seen quite large numbers of people come from eastern Europe (although most countries were sensible enough to insist on the 7 year transition period. Not our Jacqui and other great Labour sages…). So we have allies in the EU for major change, and we have an electorate which has had enough. They are not racist. Its about fairness.
Roma gypsies selling the Big Issue and a judge saying they are “self employed” is nothing short of moronic. Doing nothing for years about illegal immigrants who are arrested, released and live a day to day existance is also unfair. to them, and to the host nation. Swift deportation of illegals is much fairer than the legal induced appeals limbo we currently have. Allowing employers to deliberately undercut the existing population by offering what are not much more than slave wages is about fairness, too
The Primary Purpose rule really must be reinstated as well. Extended families coming to Britain has limits and there is no benefit, and an awful ot of downsides to illiterate brides from Pakistan, for example, coming to Britain. I would suggest that we have reached the limit of tolerance.
None of this is illiberal, nothing is incompatible with being a social democratic party. Saying to the electorate, “you’re wrong” and ignoring them is very foolish. But then New Labour has form there, and so does Jacqui…
So what are Labour going to do to deal with the many arrivals? They did very little from 97 to 2010.
They built a pitiful number of homes from 97 to 2010. The targets post 2015 are incredibly low too – 200k by 2020. The UK average from the 1950s to the 1980s was 300k a year with 350k common in the 70s. In the 80s and 90s over 200k was common. This dropped just as immigration sharply increased so under new Labour 150k was common. Now its 120k – lowest since 1920s.
What about transport – Labour did little for new rail lines or roads. It kept de-regulated buses out of London where services were cut.
Then there’s wages and working conditions. Employers know they can cut pay and ignore working regulations as number of inspectors is pitiful as the low skilled labour pool expanded massively.
Labour can support immigration but it must say how it will deal with it. 3 million more people the last 10 years and the same the next 10 and its the poor who suffer. The middle classes benefit on the whole. Unless Labour mitigate the effects, and the UK can afford it, the poor will turn away from Labour.
yes Jacqui just go on This Week and come out with your comforting left-wing platitudes about how immigration is great, and really people are just worried about “equality” and other left-wing things, even though they have clearly and repeatedly identified that they are worried about IMMIGRATION. And also that UKIP voters are to be pitied and are a shameful bunch – they’ve just been “left behind”, poor little chaps. The usual political class self-deluding claptrap, god you lot have your own ridiculous language, desperate need to open the window and let some fresh air in.
Going by the comments you seem to have lost your argument. Oh dear, so sad, never mind.
Jacqui is quite right – apologising for “getting things wrong on immigration” during the Labour years 1997-2010 was stupid & confused our own people. Europe has been good for Britain – we joined in 1973 in the middle of the crisis- hit Ted Heath Tory Government, 3 day week, strikes etc. Labour is an internationalist party so we shouldn’t be competing with the Tories and UKIP about tightening the screw on free movement within the EU. We should concentrate on making life better for British families, increasing the minimum wage, securing/improving the National Health Service, building affordable housing etc.
Getting onto doorsteps and ditching laptops is a very good plan: “Eyes are more accurate than Ears” [opinion polls]. remember though, there are none so blind as don’t want to see ukip’s hidden manifesto and backward thinking ideology.
I like Jaqui Smith. She speaks her mind as she sees it, and cuts out prissiness of other politicos: “One (wo)man is as 100,000 if (s)he is the best”, Heraclitus c.500BC. Heraclitus didn’t think much of politicians though – he was quite insane, of course, at the time.
Every party is pushing apprenticeships as an answer to the low skill-levels of many British workers and as a way of allowing Britons to compete with workers from the EU . Unfortunately, as I understand it, the scheme cannot discriminate against EU citizens. Sooner or later smart 18 year olds with good English and maths and living in a low wage or high unemployment country – Spain, Italy, Poland etc will realise that the UK is offering good quality training paid for by the British tax-payer. We have set up training schemes for the EU, not British workers.
Oh dear!
When will they ever learn?
who are yxou kidding.longtime labour voters attacked verbally,as racist bigots,or ill educated.and re heywood,another pollster said the people who voted ukip left school at 16.with no qualifications.really.the lads went in to apprenticeships.real ones.not like labour’s.well at least they left school being able to read,write,spell,and ‘add’ up.what ‘job’ are you doing now? Labour MP’s are career politicians,worked for the ‘party’.totally clueless about the real world.so all the mp’s etc who came up to campaign in heywood,will they be there next may? this on the ‘doorstep’ malarkey.
my woman mp has’nt been near any ‘doorsteps’.photo shoots with london based celebs.
keep on insulting the electorate is not a good move.
Labour MP’s work for us.did you stand on the picket lines with midwives,nurses?are you going to stand on the picket lines today?
Jaqui Smith has created a storm! If these are genuine labour activists, Labour’s intelligentsia has much to worry about! I have not seen such extended comments for some time! When I have made comments on other issues, I seem to kill the discussion and debate! It just goes to show
that immigration is, perhaps, currently top of the agenda. Nevertheless, it is a complex issue with no simple solutions. Many of the “anti” comments make valid arguments yet present and past immigration has benefited Britain over the generations – from transport in the 60s/70s to healthcare workers. If anyone remembers Auf Wiedersehen, Pet, British workers went to Germany when there was a UK slump, because of Thatcher’s Right Wing policies and worshiping The Market philosophy. It is in the nature of human beings to migrate when things are bad in their homelands, to improve their lives; starting from the Africa in pre-industrial times? Historically, Europeans emigrated to the Americas and Australasia, often committing unforgivable atrocities on indigenous populations driven by greed (e.g. Inca gold). How can
we blame people leaving war torn countries to want a better life? Many die in the attempt (e.g. in the Mediterranean).
The problems of immigration are exacerbated by there being too many of us (humans). I took great comfort a few years ago when the UK birthrate went into minus figures. Now, it is rising again and immigration is further swelling the numbers. The angle I come from is a love of the countryside. It is a privilege to live here. For many of us in the Grey Vote, walking is a major activity (I have recently returned from mountain walking in The Lakes). Therefore, it breaks my heart when I see greedy developers stripping green fields to build more and more houses, especially in the SE where there is maximum profits to be made. This is compounded by both Labour and Tories trying to outdo each other in promising yet more house building. If greedy Gatwick owners get their second runway, it will DEVASTATE Sussex, Surrey and Hampshire. What the young, career politicians in “think tanks,” etc. do not realise is that it is a self- sustaining problem. It drags in foreign trades’ people who need to live somewhere so more homes are needed. They may bring or start families so there is more pressure on infrastructure (NHS, Education, etc.) – so more green fields disappear under concrete. When I voiced this to an aspiring young, career politician, recently, I was more or less accused of racism! He wanted more and more housing to try and use the Market to push the prices down so that HE could buy! New Labour created the housing shortage and rising prices because it worshiped the God of the Market and would not build council housing! Currently, there will never be enough houses built because people want to put their money into property as a sort of bank. However, long term, this could be a false belief. One never knows what the future will hold.
Five years ago I wrote an article: “Bright Young Things and Career Politicians.” I was accused by a party official as being in the wrong party. Now, my views are main stream. “Ordinary” people are sick to death of the incompetent career politicians who have had very little life experience. This is one of the main reasons for voters going to UKIP. The immigration issue is just another.
Vic Parks (Old Grassroots Geezer) [email protected]
Large scale immigration makes the work of people and sex trafficers, and modern day slave-traders much easier.