So It Begins - The Attack on the Polish Centre
Forget the crumbling currency, the decline of global stock markets, the looming break up of the union, the immediate loss of jobs with many more to follow, the likely rise in interest rates and the cessation of all foreign direct investment in the UK. The far, far greater problem is the belief of every racist in the country that Brexit means that immigrants from the EU will at some point have to go home. Therefore, in their view, the vandalisation of the POSK centre and other similar acts that have been taking place across the country is not criminality but symbol of the will of the British people democratically expressed in the referendum.I'm Irish and therefore remain a proud citizen of the EU. I also have a profound love of Britain and believed it to be the most genuinely civilised of nations and one that the world owed a debt to. At the side of Britain at its finest hour where the men of the Polish RAF squadrons whose bravery and expertise were probably decisive in tipping the balance against the Luftwaffe. At Poland's darkest hour a few years later, Britain did nothing to help when the Russians took control of their country much to the chagrin of Winston Churchill. This part of London has an historic close connection with Poland and there can be no doubt that they have enriched this country due to their work ethic and culture - just like every single wave of emigrants in this country including my parents' generation from Ireland.Every person who hates the presence of foreigners in this country believes that the Referendum was about immigration because the leaders of the Leave campaign led them to believe it was they now believe that there will be a swift and steady departure of foreign workers.When this doesn't happen and indeed when the trade negotiations with the EU ends with the UK agreeing to continued freedom of movement of Labour as it inevitably will, there will be rage at this 'stab-in-the-back'. I use that phrase aware of its historical resonance. What essentially happened last week was the legitimisation of hate. Attacks on centres associated with foreign nationals, verbal abuse in the streets, banners displayed in the centre of towns saying 'Stop Immigration, Start Repatriaton' will become part of the fabric of our daily life. The fury that no meaningful change is taking place to the immigration rules will be a wave which the far right will be happy to ride. They will argue that it is not racist to demand repatriation as the referendum showed that this is the majority view. When it doesn't happen they will talk about sinister cabals in Government and finance combining to thwart the will of the people as politicians in the past did. What the Brexit vote shows is that lots of people will believe them.
Paul Corcoran ● 3224d1 Comments