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Immigration: You’re right to worry

Last week I wondered what the Mail and its readers thought of racism. Let's have a glimpse at what they think of a related topic, immigration, with today's story on that very subject.

As ever with Mail immigration stories, you have to watch very closely to see the sleight-of-hand, but it's there. See how things that aren't linked are linked; see how 'fears' are concocted from nothing; see the mastery of a Mail immigration scream story.

More than three-quarters of Britons want to see jobless immigrants forced to leave UK

OK. But as you'll recall, the Mail doesn't think that second and third generation immigrants, nor naturalised British citizens, should be called 'British'. So what kind of 'Britons' are being described here?

More than three-quarters of Britons believe jobless immigrants should be asked to leave the UK, according to a new poll.

'Asked to leave'. Haha! But if jobless immigrants are legal migrants from outside the EU, they've already passed a 'points system' test to see if they're employable enough. If they're illegal, they can't be paid benefits. If they're from inside the EU, they can't be 'asked to leave' anyway.

The finding will raise fears that the far-Right BNP could prosper in the recession as unemployment rises.

Or the 'far left' BNP as some rather unfortunate people (ie Dale) would have you believe. But the Mail has no evidence that anyone is actually 'fearing' that at all, apart from people like Melanie Phillips, and even she is regarded as not being right-wing enough for her own readers. Which begs the question: does the Mail really fear the BNP? If you ever delve into the murky world of the BNP forums, you'll find Mail stories everywhere. So is the Mail really afraid?

Here comes a bit of prestidigitation, though. Having mentioned jobless immigrants and immigration from the EU, the Mail swiftly changes tack:

Town halls in London are to get millions of pounds to help deal with a surge in immigrants.

Note how the 'surge' is depicted as being fact, with no evidence to back it up. The Mail says there's a surge; therefore there's a surge. But this isn't to do with any kind of immigration, rather a specific type:

Communities Secretary Hazel Blears will this week unveil plans for a £50 fee for immigrants to the UK from non-EU countries.
The scheme is expected to raise around £70 million over the next few years with funds being distributed to councils having to provide extra health, education and other services because of the influx of newcomers

Again, see how the 'influx' is regarded as factual, despite no evidence to that end. It's simply regarded as being factual that there is a 'surge' and 'influx' of jobless immigrants, from the EU and outside, both legal and illegal, and that all these individuals must be lumped together in one great big scary mass.

The truly scary thing comes in the comments box. Are you ready for this? I think you know what we're going to find.

I am a traditional voter.
However if the BNP field a candidate in my area of middle Cheshire, I will vote for them!
- Bob, Warrington, 16/3/2009 10:04

No 'fear' of the BNP there. Remember, the Mail frequently edits comments from readers and only a fraction get through. But there was no trouble with a pro-BNP comment finding its way through the filters.

It's not so much that the BNP are 'far right' as the fact that the three main parties are too 'far left'.
This government have clearly lost control over who comes here and the Conservatives or Liberals will be no better so a vote for the BNP is starting to look like the only alternative to more of the same.
- Steve, Tipton, 16/3/2009 10:09

...and again.

any political party that stops illegal imigration and sends back those who are here ,stops this human rights nonsence would win outright any election
- David, Hitchin Herts, 16/3/2009 10:10

Voted up 190 by fellow Mail readers, bless them. But hang on. 'Stop illegal immigration' - surely everyone wants that, don't they? Surely no political party is in favour of illegal activity of any kind, is it?

The ever-wonderful Peter Brant of Worthing (for whom I hope to buy a pint one day) manages to get his comment in, but it's voted down by 171 points:

What are the details of this Poll? Who conducted it? Was was the sample size? Where was it conducted? Without this information the claim that "three quarters of Britons wantt o see foreginers forced to leave" is entirely unsubstantiated.
The factt hat the Mail has declined to report this detail speaks volumes.
- Peter Brant, Worthing, 16/3/2009 10:19

Not even disputing the details, merely questioning - but that's not good enough for fellow readers.

Peter's in the minority, I'm afraid, on this subject, at least as far as Mail readers commenting on it are concerned:

"The finding will raise fears that the far-Right BNP could prosper in the recession as unemployment rises."
Why is it a fear if they propser? Because they're the only party listening to what hard-working taxpayers actually want?
- Jo, Uxbridge, Middlesex, 16/3/2009 10:21

This next one is an absolute classic. 'Flawed multi--culturalism" and "human rightsism" have combined to turn ordinary nice people into racists:

The monsterous levels of immigration under labour have finally caught up with them now. Ironically labour`s drive of flawed multi--culturalism, human rightsism combined with un-checked immigration have turned many people into racists who were`nt previously. The assault on the white working class over the years has added to this.
- JAMES, Brighton, sussex, 16/3/2009 10:26

Who else talks about an 'assault' on the 'white working class'? Who else but racists and the BNP? And people commenting on Daily Mail stories? I wonder what sort of overlap there is?

An immigrant speaks:

nationality: Pole
years in UK: 6
days of unemployment: 0
monthly tax an NI: 290.78
So I gave a lot to the economy and probably 95% other Poles and issue arise in downturn times very sad. If I would lost job now you would like me to go to nowhere and to nothing?

This comment is voted down by 54 points. Apparently readers really would like him to go to nowhere and nothing.

And it continues:

They shouldn't be asked to leave they should be kicked out.

Only three quarters! I suppose the other quarter are immigrants anyway.
How much more immgration have we got to take/ I for one am sick of it.

If asked to leave, they will blatantly say 'No, we want to stay here and claim all the benefits paid by the hard-working taxpayers that I havent contributed a single penny to.' They should be MADE to leave, not ASKED!

If Britain is to become stronger all unemployed immigrants must leave. An automatic right to a passport for life should be stopped and people who threaten our security should be sent back to their or their parents place of birth.

Yes, I do believe that last one is advocating deportation of British citizens who are second and third generation immigrants. But then when a national newspaper says such people aren't British, what do you expect?

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Related posts:

1. The anti-immigration pissing competition
2. Wrestling, football and immigration
3. Lying about immigration? Surely not
4. Is being anti-immigration racist?
5. Immigration mythology and Labour’s dilemma