Well the Brexiteers, the ERG and Populists, ratcheted up the fear around immigration for their own ends. Racism was unleashed with a wave of hatred and fear. It empowered the extremists. We’re reaping the rewards. A bunch of racist Nazi thugs opportunistically jumping on the bandwagon.
Sadly, it undermines any constructive discussion on how we really handle immigration – what is good and what is bad. Brexit has chucked out whole rafts of much needed European workers (carers, NHS, teachers, doctors, fruit pickers and catering). We’re replacing them with Chinese, Indian and Africans who are far less transient! The antimuslim rhetoric is obnoxious (and nobody despises religion and particularly indoctrinating evangelists, Muslims and Catholics more than me). In a tolerant society we respect other peoples’ beliefs no matter how we feel about them.
