Tory Immigration Policy Explained

You could be forgiven if you are confused by Tory immigration policy. Yesterday the Prime Minister told the country he wanted to  cut immigration to “tens of thousands” of people a year. Over the years I’ve heard Conservative politicians use the immigration issue to cultivate fear of immigrants and divert attention from economic problems. They never discuss the exploitation of immigrants and the poor housing and incomes they endure.

Bus stop, Whitechapel

Living in Whitechapel (above) I can walk out of my front door and hear many different languages spoken in an area enriched by different cultures. I have often tried to imagine what Whitechapel would be like if the poisonous verbosity of Tory politicians on immigration was ever accumulated and realised. It is surely a landscape which civilised people would hesitate to contemplate.

Brick Lane market

After all Whitechapel is full of people from different backgrounds.

Four celebrate the Cable Street Mural

After all we have a strong tradition of fighting injustice and welcoming immigrants. This year is the 75th anniversary of the battle of Cable Street.

So what photograph should I use to illustrate the antithesis of all this? In raising questions about immigration Mr Cameron is part of a long Tory tradition which has used this issue to undermine communities strengthened by immigration. Perhaps I do have a photograph that illustrates  Mr Cameron’s vision of the UK as he would like it:

Tory Party Conference, early 1990's