Labour risks loss of votes to BNP, says peer
ft: Labour risks stoking resentment and potential violence, as well as losing votes to the far-right British National party if it does not address the feelings of "neglect" in poor white working-class areas, one of the party's peers warned yesterday.
"In lots of areas where asylum seekers or immigrants are living side-by-side with poor white working-class families, the risk [for Labour] is very great. There will be constant resentment," Lord Parekh told the BBC. "The white working- class feeling of neglect has to be addressed at the national level."
The warning from the peer, who chaired an inquiry into multi-ethnic Britain for the Runnymede Trust think-tank in 2000, came after a minister said the BNP could win more council seats in her Barking constituency in east London at next month's local elections.
Margaret Hodge, the employment minister, said the "poorest whites" were being tempted by the BNP because her party had not addressed their anger over the lack of affordable housing, which they blamed on asylum seekers. "The Labour party hasn't talked to these people. Part of the reason they switch to the BNP is they feel no one else is listening to them." Read more
db: It's a classic right-wing tactic - exploit genuine grievances [poor housing, poor education, lack of opportunities, thread-bare social safety net] and blame it all on minorities - immigrants, asylum seekers, jews etc. That it has come to this - an apparently resurgent BNP - is very sad. Blair and neo-labour are of course preoccupied with big business and the upwardly mobile. More CBI than TUC. Who can blame some for falling for the BNP lie? To see just how ridiculous BNP policies are go here. The one BNP policy I am in favor of is 'more egg and spoon races' [really - check the link].
My guess is that this 'threat' will be presented as a reason why we must all get out and vote Labour. I can't see that strategy working. Personally I would rather vote for the appalling Tories or the Lib Dems - if I were to vote at all.
UPDATE: The Tory Anne Widicombe is currently on Radio 4 blaming slack immigration policies for the above phenomenon - which is entirely predictable and serves to bolster the BNP argument. The issue is poverty, hopelessness and lack of care on the part of the government for working class families.
"In lots of areas where asylum seekers or immigrants are living side-by-side with poor white working-class families, the risk [for Labour] is very great. There will be constant resentment," Lord Parekh told the BBC. "The white working- class feeling of neglect has to be addressed at the national level."
The warning from the peer, who chaired an inquiry into multi-ethnic Britain for the Runnymede Trust think-tank in 2000, came after a minister said the BNP could win more council seats in her Barking constituency in east London at next month's local elections.
Margaret Hodge, the employment minister, said the "poorest whites" were being tempted by the BNP because her party had not addressed their anger over the lack of affordable housing, which they blamed on asylum seekers. "The Labour party hasn't talked to these people. Part of the reason they switch to the BNP is they feel no one else is listening to them." Read more
db: It's a classic right-wing tactic - exploit genuine grievances [poor housing, poor education, lack of opportunities, thread-bare social safety net] and blame it all on minorities - immigrants, asylum seekers, jews etc. That it has come to this - an apparently resurgent BNP - is very sad. Blair and neo-labour are of course preoccupied with big business and the upwardly mobile. More CBI than TUC. Who can blame some for falling for the BNP lie? To see just how ridiculous BNP policies are go here. The one BNP policy I am in favor of is 'more egg and spoon races' [really - check the link].
My guess is that this 'threat' will be presented as a reason why we must all get out and vote Labour. I can't see that strategy working. Personally I would rather vote for the appalling Tories or the Lib Dems - if I were to vote at all.
UPDATE: The Tory Anne Widicombe is currently on Radio 4 blaming slack immigration policies for the above phenomenon - which is entirely predictable and serves to bolster the BNP argument. The issue is poverty, hopelessness and lack of care on the part of the government for working class families.
posted by exoplanet at 1:09 PM
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