Letter: Remain won’t win the argument if it doesn’t reshape the debate on immigration
Placards and flags are held by pro-EU protesters taking part in a March for Europe rally against Brexit in central London. - Credit: PA Wire/PA Images
Anette Schweizer argues that Remain needs to put a positive spin on freedom of movement to win the argument...
I moved to the UK from Germany five years ago and live in a small market town in the East Midlands, in an average, middle-classy residential area. I love talking to all sorts of people from different backgrounds in order to understand my new home: young & old, male & female, rich & poor, left & right.
The most they have in common is that they are all white, and British – simply due to the fact that there are not many 'foreigners' in our town.
But this does not stop people from telling me that there are too many immigrants here. They see their identity, their culture, their values, their economy, their NHS, their schools, their everything threatened by those 'masses' of foreigners – even though only 5% of the local population was born in another country (2.5% EU, 2.5% non-EU).
None of the people I have talked to has had any personal bad experiences with immigrants, but they all 'know' that immigration is responsible for all their problems.
You may also want to watch:
After the referendum the local (previously Remain) Tory MP wrote an article in the local newspaper in which he thanked EU immigrants for their contributions, but then added that EU migrants suppressed the wages of local people and were a threat to the social cohesion of the local community.
This in a town with below 1% unemployment.
Most Read
- 1 US election result could spark 'end of Brexit', claims peer
- 2 Brexiteer says EU 'spiteful' to end fast-track lanes for Brits after Brexit
- 3 STAR TURNS: Bond star haunted by school tragedy
- 4 'Assorted caviar' and 'board games' - Gifts confiscated from Boris Johnson due to anti-corruption laws
- 5 Former Labour MP tells Jeremy Corbyn to retire after being suspended from party
- 6 Nigel Farage places £10,000 bet on Donald Trump to win second White House term
- 7 Farage says he can dodge US travel ban because he's a 'journalist'
- 8 Question Time: Tory minister told 'diverse' cabinet doesn't erase race issues in party
- 9 Boris Johnson 'hid in bedroom' to avoid grilling on Brexit stance days before becoming PM
- 10 Donald Trump supporters duped into thanking 'Satan' for backing president's re-election campaign
In my view, as long as Remain does not manage to put a positive spin on freedom of movement and immigration, as long as it lets xenophobes frame this debate, it is doomed to lose the argument.
Anette Schweizer
• Send your letters for publication to letters@theneweuropean.co.uk
• Subscribe to The New European from just £1 for six editions
• Events: How you can help the grassroots anti-Brexit campaigns
Become a Supporter
The New European is proud of its journalism and we hope you are proud of it too. We believe our voice is important - both in representing the pro-EU perspective and also to help rebalance the right wing extremes of much of the UK national press. If you value what we are doing, you can help us by making a contribution to the cost of our journalism.
