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Blogs by Don Flynn

Populism – The resurgence of democracy or threat to the rights of migrants?
Don Flynn April 2, 2013 4 Comment(s)
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.
Here comes the new Lib Dem policy on immigration - It's the same as the Tories'
Don Flynn March 22, 2013 9 Comment(s)
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.’
Budget 2013: Immigration ought to be encouraged to support economic growth – but don’t hold your breath
Don Flynn March 20, 2013
When the Chancellor stands up in Parliament to deliver his budget speech later today there are a lot of positive things he could do to ensure that immigration can make a positive contribution to economic growth. Here's a blog we wrote for Left Foot Forward giving out view on what these might be.

To read the blog go to http://www.leftfootforward.org/2013/03/immigration-ought-to-be-in-the-budget-but-dont-hold-your-breath/
Shock News: Romanians aren't queuing to use the NHS, but they do seem keen to buy our healthcare drugs
Don Flynn March 3, 2013 14 Comment(s)
When it comes to immigrants it seems we are expected to believe all types of wickedness. The latest is that they are salivating over the chance to use the free NHS. Yet the best evidence suggests that's a long way from being true. They are more likely to want to pay for much needed drugs, and use them at home.

The business of making immigration policy at this point in time seems to operate in a completely evidence free zone.  The need for ‘urgent action’ is proclaimed in order to tackle abuse and all manners of dodgy dealing, which, when you try to find out what is really going on, seems to vanish like the morning mist. 
Youth action for the rights of migrants - from the US Dreamers to the Glasgow Girls
Don Flynn February 24, 2013
Meeting Carlos Saavedra, of the United We Dream movement last week, and then catching the musical production 'Glasgow Girls' at the Theatre Royale last week was bound to spark off thoughts on what happens when young people get involved in the issue of the rights of migrants. Here are a bunch of reasons why we should feel pretty hopeful as to what the potential is...

We were very pleased to play a small role in supporting the visit of Carlos Saavedra to the UK last week.  Carlos is one of the key organisers of the United We Dream movement in the United States – known as the ‘Dreamers’.