UBUNTU CORNER-The Changing Face of Britain
Posted by Saddat Adutwum | Posted in News, European News, Politics,
By Guy Mulvaney, Our South Africa correspondent
Grossly overpopulated, ensnared in a devastating recession with spiralling unemployment, a looming general elections followed by inevitable drastic public spending cuts, Britain is becoming an increasingly difficult place for immigrants to live in. Furthermore political parties are veering to centre- of- right with regards to immigration policy; levels of intolerance seem to be setting in.
I recently returned to London after a six-month stint in picturesque Cape Town. I decided to delve into the history of the area I was staying in.
Rotherhithe is a fascinating suburb of London. It certainly is a place of stinging contrasts. Like most parts of this intriguing city, it is steeped in history. It also lies in the shadows of monstrous skyscrapers of modern Canary Wharf, on the opposite bank of the river. There are many quaint little pubs nestled between the luxurious complexes for the rich who have the privilege of stunning river views. Slightly off the river-front are also monstrous dour council estates. It is home to both immigrant and disaffected white British lower class.
One of Rotherhithe's claims to fame to fame is a passenger ship called the Mayflower and Captain Christopher Jones. The Mayflower is the symbol of religious freedom. In 1680 Jones ferried half a boat load of religious Puritan separatists who desired a life of religious freedom due to the oppression by the English Church and government across the Atlantic to the New World.
As I was meandering through the alleyways, I stumbled across venomous graffiti of 'Vote BNP' scrawled on a wall.
Two things struck me instantaneously: the first was I understood the intimidation that those Puritans faced some 330 years ago and secondly the ominous voice of prejudice is so profound that it reverberates throughout eternity.
At this point in time, however, Britain most definitely has other concerns on her mind. Her primarily concern is survival. Whilst all EU countries have painstakingly forged themselves out of the downturn, Britain remains deeply entrenched in the recession. There are real concerns that England is on the verge of mass unemployment. Official unemployment figures soared above 2 million during January 2010. The Govener of the Bank of England-Mervyn King's highlighted the 'extraordinarily sudden, severe, and simultaneous downturn of activity and trade in every corner of the world economy" since last autumn.
The financial downturn has exasperated the levels of tolerance of immigrants in some sectors of the general population. There are strong indications that Britain is swinging to the centre of right.
David Cameron -leader of the Conservative Party, looks almost certain to win the May 2010 elections-the most recent ICM poll for the Sunday Telegraph indicated there the Tories have a 10% lead at 40% New Labour at 30%, 18 % Liberal Democrats.
Cameron has been highly critical of New Labours immigration policy and is set to put stringent measures in places in order to cap immigration. However changes in policy are not only restricted to the conservatives. Evidence of New Labours shift to centre of right can be found as far back as 2007, when three weeks prior to taking over from Tony Blair he controversially pledged a new form of 'Britishness' with a promise of 'British jobs for British people.' He reaffirmed the pledge in January of this year .These inflammatory pledges were made in the wake of waves of immigrants from countries like Poland who are driving wages down and reducing work opportunities for domestic workers. Everyone knows that as long as Britain is a member- state of the EU, neither Brown nor any British prime minister has the power to prohibit free movement of EU citizens. So the leading question is who really these directives were aimed at? New legislation conclusively proves that his target market is directly solely at non-EU citizens including Africans and Asians.
Last year the government decided to adopt the highly effective Australian point-based system for non-EU citizens. Under the new rules, skilled workers in professions where there are shortages can enter the UK, provided they have a job. Unskilled workers are barred because shortages can be filled by workers from EU states.
However, there has been a knock-on effect and white- collared professional are now also subjected to these prohibitions. For instance Home Office tightened on immigration rules by barring non EU doctors from UK training posts from 2010. Consequently the move will see a drop of between 3,000 and 5,000 applications from overseas according to official estimates.
Further legislation is set to follow in other sectors of the economy.
Recent studies indicated that up to 78% of South Africans living abroad wish to return. It appears they simply will no longer have a choice. They no longer will be welcome here.
