The two measures that have been introduced send chills through me and send out a very clear message. That message is that foreigners, or people of foreign origin are not welcome in Britain. We are keeping tabs on you. You are being marked out.

• All businesses have to report foreign workers
• All schools have to report the country of origin of their children

This is stoking the sentiment that ‘foreigners’ are different and must be identified. Whether that is the intention or not, that is what is happening. It is reinforcing the attitude of racists and xenophobes, creating fear and distress in people who originate from outside the UK, and sending a clear message that foreigners are unwelcome.

Businesses are to give preference to UK citizens. So we no longer appoint the best people for the job?

Why is the Home Office receiving all this information? So action can be taken? What action?

Do we start forcing people to wear badges on their clothing to identify them as second-class citizens, unworthy to be here? Do we initiate a programme of public humiliation? Perhaps the badges could have the initials of the country of origin so that there can be selective racism? The public can then select which nationality to vilify. We could have different days of the week to vilify different groups?

I do not like this. I am reminded of  Martin Niemoller’s poem

First they came for the Communists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Communist
Then they came for the Socialists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Socialist
Then they came for the trade unionists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a trade unionist
Then they came for the Jews
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Jew
Then they came for me
And there was no one left
To speak out for me