Time to renounce the migrants hate rhetoric and tell another story

The ongoing demonisation of migrants and refugees continues to pick up pace. The return of Donald Trump as US President has enhanced the process, as he talks in terms of invasions and enemies of America. Walls are to be built, migrants incarcerated in Guantanamo Bay and other detention centres. This country is not much better. Migrants have been vilified for many years, even whilst so many staffed the care homes and hospitals, built the houses, harvested the crops and worked in hospitality. Instead of gratitude, there is an ongoing hostility, seeking to criminalise and stigmatise, those who have in the main contributed to the betterment of society. On the refugee side, the small boats saga has been blown out of all proportion, by spineless politicians egged on by a racist media selling it's own products on the back of fuelling hate. Most of those coming across the Channel are desperate, fleeing for their lives. It is not coincidental that most also come from war torn countries like Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq. In terms of economic migrants, the country needs a steady flow to make the economy grow. The UK has a rapidly ageing population, with over 65s increasingly outnumbering under 16s. The government continually talks of the millions of economically inactive people, then, about growth. So, how in a country, with so many inactive, are we going to get that magic growth without migrants? This country desperately needs migrant labour, vilifying them, whilst creating a different kind of hostile environment, will not encourage people to come. The fruits of attacking migrants and refugees was seen last summer with the riots across the country. The government responded firmly, with heavy punishments delivered by the courts. In Walthamstow, among other places, people came out to say no. But since then, the cowardice of the political class has resurfaced. The anti- migrant rhetoric of Reform, with Kemi Badenoch's Tory Party running to keep up. And, the other parties have shown worrying tendencies to emulate, rather than stand up to, the Reform agenda. The result of such an approach will deliver Nigel Farage as the next Prime Minister. The time now is to state a clear pro-migrant, inclusive narrative, not retire into the tired recesses of racism and hate. Let's be bold renounce anti-migrant based racism and tell another story.