Blog
May 20, 2013
Two recent books look at what states do to people at their borders and how this often reflects what they do to others on their territory. Take note: Police regimes at national frontiers have a disturbing tendency to become police regimes over everyone...
The sinister injunction that one should be careful of what you wish for, on account of the possibility that it might come true, seems to have particular application to those who would like to see the UK ‘regain control of its borders.’
The sinister injunction that one should be careful of what you wish for, on account of the possibility that it might come true, seems to have particular application to those who would like to see the UK ‘regain control of its borders.’
May 9, 2013
Comments: 1
The coalition government wants less rights and less migration. Employers hint at less rights but want more migration. And others, including the European Commission, say rights are just what is needed to encourage people to migrate in security. Confused? You need not be....
Just one day after the government sets out its proposals to continue to bear down on immigration in the Queen’s speech the European Commission comes up with a set of proposals which are intended to pull policy in another direction altogether.
Just one day after the government sets out its proposals to continue to bear down on immigration in the Queen’s speech the European Commission comes up with a set of proposals which are intended to pull policy in another direction altogether.
May 8, 2013
Comments: 4
Today we learned that Government is preparing a new Immigration Bill - despite ministers' acknowledgement that much of the detail behind the headlines is still missing...
May 7, 2013
Comments: 1
The aftermath of the UKIP surge in the polls in the local elections has led to a lot of soul searching in mainstream politics. To the detriment of the Conservative Party whilst also hacking away at both the support of the Labour and Liberal Democrats parties, UKIP emerged as the third most popular party in Britain today.
But a lot has to be said for the state parliament finds itself in 2013. In 2008, the UK entered its longest and harshest economic crisis in 60 years, mainly caused by an unhinged financial sector. Economic growth has been almost non-existent since then.
But a lot has to be said for the state parliament finds itself in 2013. In 2008, the UK entered its longest and harshest economic crisis in 60 years, mainly caused by an unhinged financial sector. Economic growth has been almost non-existent since then.
May 7, 2013
Comments: 8
The populist surge of UKIP is encouraging the belief that migration across borders can be brought under control by an act of steely determination on the part of government. This is a big mistake. "Effective management" of migration will remain an impossible dream until we face up to the reality of what is really driving the movement of people.
Why have successive British governments, apparently, made such a hash at administering immigration control policy? The word ‘apparently’ is important because of the difficulty in knowing by what standards we are measuring the success. The high level of discontent which shows up in public opinion surveys, with 70% of respondents regularly expressing dismay at the state of border controls, suggest that all is in disarray and we are truly living in a country with ‘broken borders.’
Why have successive British governments, apparently, made such a hash at administering immigration control policy? The word ‘apparently’ is important because of the difficulty in knowing by what standards we are measuring the success. The high level of discontent which shows up in public opinion surveys, with 70% of respondents regularly expressing dismay at the state of border controls, suggest that all is in disarray and we are truly living in a country with ‘broken borders.’
Apr 29, 2013
We’ve launched our 2012 annual report last week with a private view and drinks reception at 19 Princelet Street - Britain’s Museum of Immigration and Diversity. Here's what kept us busy in 2012.
2012 has been another exciting year for the MRN team. We’ve been busier than ever. Putting together an annual report always offers an organisation a great time to reflect on the path walked and the road ahead. This is why we decided to call our report “Standing our Ground and Looking Ahead.” (download the PDF)
2012 has been another exciting year for the MRN team. We’ve been busier than ever. Putting together an annual report always offers an organisation a great time to reflect on the path walked and the road ahead. This is why we decided to call our report “Standing our Ground and Looking Ahead.” (download the PDF)
Apr 22, 2013
Comments: 1
Lord Ashcroft’s latest analysis of Black Minority Ethnic (BME) voting intentions will not come as much of a surprise to political parties. It finds, unsurprisingly, that the BME vote is still at home with the Labour Party and the Conservatives will struggle to pull that apart in 2015.
Ashcroft’s investigation comes on the back of long-running post-2010 analysis to understand why just 16% of the BME vote in the last general election went to the Conservative party.
Ashcroft’s investigation comes on the back of long-running post-2010 analysis to understand why just 16% of the BME vote in the last general election went to the Conservative party.
Apr 19, 2013
Comments: 6
Wednesday night's launch of the latest report from Bail for Immigration Detainees took place at a packed meeting in Parliament. It was an encouraging sign that the toxic debate on immigration has not damped commitment to speak up for the rights of children affected by immigration controls.
The issues raised by the BID report should make for uncomfortable reading by the authorities. Fractured Childhoods: the separation of families by immigration detention draws on BID research with clients between 2009 and 2012, and tracks the impacts of separation of parents from children as a result of immigration detention.
The issues raised by the BID report should make for uncomfortable reading by the authorities. Fractured Childhoods: the separation of families by immigration detention draws on BID research with clients between 2009 and 2012, and tracks the impacts of separation of parents from children as a result of immigration detention.
Apr 15, 2013
Comments: 1
There has been widespread public and political debate following the death of Margaret Thatcher last week about her political legacy and the impacts of the economic and social reforms she introduced.
Parliament was recalled during the Easter recess to allow MPs and Peers to pay tribute to the longest serving British Prime Minister since the Second World War. There was little mention of her work on immigration in the House of Lords tributes.
Parliament was recalled during the Easter recess to allow MPs and Peers to pay tribute to the longest serving British Prime Minister since the Second World War. There was little mention of her work on immigration in the House of Lords tributes.
Apr 15, 2013
Comments: 3
We are told that welfare benefits need to be cut in order to push natives into the sort of jobs migrants are now doing. This dangerous logic will impoverish even more people, and there IS an alternative.
Migrants seem to be so deeply implicated in all the problems of the welfare state that it seems surprising that no one has yet seen fit to blame them for the new ceiling on total amount of cash benefits that people can receive which is being rolled out from today.
Migrants seem to be so deeply implicated in all the problems of the welfare state that it seems surprising that no one has yet seen fit to blame them for the new ceiling on total amount of cash benefits that people can receive which is being rolled out from today.
Apr 7, 2013
Comments: 8
Herold Newell’s refusal to be cowed by workplace identity checks ought to be applauded by anyone concerned with the rights of workers. If we give in to the culture of suspicion it is not just immigrants who will suffer, but far wider groups of employees and the users of public services.
There is a sobering story in this week’s on-line edition of The Voice, a paper which reports news from the vantage point of Britain’s black community. It concerns Herold Newell, a lorry driver formerly in the employment of the ASDA supermarket chain.
There is a sobering story in this week’s on-line edition of The Voice, a paper which reports news from the vantage point of Britain’s black community. It concerns Herold Newell, a lorry driver formerly in the employment of the ASDA supermarket chain.
Apr 2, 2013
Comments: 2
It seems Nick Clegg MP, the Deputy Prime Minister and Liberal Democrat leader, found himself in contravention of his own party’s rules when he announced that he was going to ditch the Liberal Democrats’ commitment to give ‘illegal immigrants’ an amnesty.
His party’s commitment, as shown in its 2010 manifesto, on various aspects of the immigration system, derived from months and years of party members feeding their thoughts into machinery that decides what a Liberal Democrat government would do if they came to power.
His party’s commitment, as shown in its 2010 manifesto, on various aspects of the immigration system, derived from months and years of party members feeding their thoughts into machinery that decides what a Liberal Democrat government would do if they came to power.
Apr 2, 2013
Comments: 4
The think-tank community has been thinking hard about populism in recent times, and usually coming to some very gloomy conclusions about what it might mean for liberal democracy. What should supporters of the rights of migrants make of it?
It’s one of the hottest topics for discussion amongst those who care about this sort of stuff – this weird thing we are calling populism, with people asking what it is and the meaning of its apparent rise in the political systems of the UK and other European countries at this point in time. If you have a keen interest in anything to do with immigration policy – particularly from the standpoint of wanting to defend the rights of migrants – the rise of populism is supposed to be a wholly bad thing. The example of UKIP is held out as the only direction in which populism can lead – directly towards xenophobic and anti-immigration standpoints.
It’s one of the hottest topics for discussion amongst those who care about this sort of stuff – this weird thing we are calling populism, with people asking what it is and the meaning of its apparent rise in the political systems of the UK and other European countries at this point in time. If you have a keen interest in anything to do with immigration policy – particularly from the standpoint of wanting to defend the rights of migrants – the rise of populism is supposed to be a wholly bad thing. The example of UKIP is held out as the only direction in which populism can lead – directly towards xenophobic and anti-immigration standpoints.
Mar 25, 2013
Comments: 21
David Cameron's speech today is being accused of being all spin and no substance. It is likely only to increase public fears and misunderstanding about migrants and the welfare system - is this the outcome he wanted?
The Eastleigh by-election has been more significant than we could have anticipated. During the weeks since the byelection was dominated by UKIP's inflamed rhetoric about EU migration, we have seen political messaging around immigration ramped up yet again. Successive statements from Nick Clegg last week and, today, David Cameron, have appeared to compete for who can scaremonger the loudest.
The Eastleigh by-election has been more significant than we could have anticipated. During the weeks since the byelection was dominated by UKIP's inflamed rhetoric about EU migration, we have seen political messaging around immigration ramped up yet again. Successive statements from Nick Clegg last week and, today, David Cameron, have appeared to compete for who can scaremonger the loudest.
Mar 22, 2013
Comments: 9
Something moved the Lib Dem leader and deputy prime minister to make a speech on immigration this morning, and we can only assume it was the heat he is feeling from the result of the Eastleigh by-election. His party might have won on the occasion, but the message he seems to have taken from the tightness of the race, with very anti-immigration UKIP and Tory candidates coming second and third, is that the Lib Dems need to swing to the right on the pressing issue of people movement.
Mr Clegg opened his contribution by saying that his mission was to maintain the UK as an open and tolerant country. Without any hint of irony he then said that the way to do this was by maintaining ‘zero tolerance’ of immigration ‘abuse.’
Mr Clegg opened his contribution by saying that his mission was to maintain the UK as an open and tolerant country. Without any hint of irony he then said that the way to do this was by maintaining ‘zero tolerance’ of immigration ‘abuse.’
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