February 21, 2023 - 10:34am
New UnHerd data has revealed that Labour’s Asian-origin heartlands are, like much of Britain, opposed to the currently high levels of immigration into the UK.
Around three in five people in the two constituencies belonging to my traditionally Labour-voting hometown — Luton North and Luton South — believe that immigration is too high (59% and 58% respectively). According to the 2021 census, one in three people in of Luton North is White British. Half of the population is either Asian (39%) or Black (11%). In the neighbourhood of Kingsway, four in five people are of Asian heritage.
Six in 10 people in Leicester East, a constituency where nearly seven in 10 residents are of Asian origin, believe that immigration is too high. Similarly inclined are 56% of voters in Ilford South, an east London seat where 61% of residents belong to an Asian ethnic group. Only one in 10 people in the constituency are White British.
Bradford West has the same percentage of Asian-origin residents as Ilford South, only this time 55% of voters think that immigration is too high. Slough is a Brexit-voting constituency where white people now make up just 35% of the population, with 56% of its voters being of the opinion that immigration is too high. All of these constituencies are currently represented by Labour MPs.
As I wrote for UnHerd back in January 2019, immigration-related concerns are by no means the preserve of the white British mainstream — and this remains the case four years on. The ongoing small boats crisis, which saw 45,756 people enter the UK by crossing the English Channel in 2022, is an especially bitter pill to swallow for many first-generation migrants who legally relocated to Britain after going through a range of checks and evaluations.
Earlier this month, The Times reported that Indian nationals are now the third largest cohort of Channel migrants. The perception of the UK’s asylum system being overrun by ‘queue-jumping’ economic migrants may be virtually absent in the Westbury Park suburb of Bristol West, but is likely to run deep in the working-class Girlington area of Bradford West.
There are also concerns over war-fleeing Ukrainians, with questions being asked over how well some have adjusted to relocating from their relatively homogeneous homeland to hyper-diverse areas in inner-city Birmingham. There have also been reports of members of established ethnic-minority communities blaming new arrivals from South Asia for the August-September 2022 Leicester disorders, with subcontinental-style sectarianism spilling over in eastern parts of the city such as Belgrave.
The modern Labour Party would do well to heed such data on public attitudes towards immigration. Many of Britain’s ethnic-minority citizens are anything but open-border internationalists. Instead, they are more likely to be patriotic traditionalists who believe in respect for the rule of law, a more restrictive immigration regime, and a well-ordered asylum system which firmly reasserts the line between economic migrants and genuine refugees.
A combination of social democracy and cultural conservatism is, these new findings would suggest, the order of the day in Labour’s Asian-heritage strongholds. Whether the Party will pay any attention is another matter entirely.
Dr Rakib Ehsan is a researcher specialising in British ethnic minority socio-political attitudes, with a particular focus on the effects of social integration and intergroup relations.
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SubscribeAll indications are that Labour are going to accuse such Asian strongholds of one or more of the following:
— Being “white adjacent” and assisting white supremacy
— Being self hating sell-outs under the patronage of evil white business leaders
— Being brainwashed by mainstream media into being unable to understand what is and isn’t in their own interests
Hayden, you hit the nail on the head.
Yes, I’m of Asian descent and am told this often due to my skepticism towards racial identity politics. =_= It’s so tiring…
Please be extremely rude to the woke to55ers.
Please be extremely rude to the woke to55ers.
Hayden, you hit the nail on the head.
Yes, I’m of Asian descent and am told this often due to my skepticism towards racial identity politics. =_= It’s so tiring…
All indications are that Labour are going to accuse such Asian strongholds of one or more of the following:
— Being “white adjacent” and assisting white supremacy
— Being self hating sell-outs under the patronage of evil white business leaders
— Being brainwashed by mainstream media into being unable to understand what is and isn’t in their own interests
It always seemed clear to me that The Conservatives could easily pull together a coalition of the over 50s, the traditional Shire Tories, the Red Wall voters and the ethnic minority communities with an anti-wokery, low immigration, law and order platform. Standing against gender recognition or drag queen reading hour would be equally appealing to a pensioner in Preston and a Muslim mother in Wolverhampton.
It would easily make up for the loss of the more liberal/Remainer end of the low-tax voters to woke Labour.
But aren’t The Conservatives just as woke as Labour? No use voting for the Tories expecting them to, say, remove the licence fee from the BBC and let it survive on adverts.
Well yes, it seems to me they could win on such a platform but you are right, they probably never would.
I’m pretty sure that Matt’s point is about what they could do, not what they will do.
Well yes, it seems to me they could win on such a platform but you are right, they probably never would.
I’m pretty sure that Matt’s point is about what they could do, not what they will do.
But aren’t The Conservatives just as woke as Labour? No use voting for the Tories expecting them to, say, remove the licence fee from the BBC and let it survive on adverts.
It always seemed clear to me that The Conservatives could easily pull together a coalition of the over 50s, the traditional Shire Tories, the Red Wall voters and the ethnic minority communities with an anti-wokery, low immigration, law and order platform. Standing against gender recognition or drag queen reading hour would be equally appealing to a pensioner in Preston and a Muslim mother in Wolverhampton.
It would easily make up for the loss of the more liberal/Remainer end of the low-tax voters to woke Labour.
You certainly will not get the muslim vote if you are pro letting males into ladies showers.
You certainly will not get the muslim vote if you are pro letting males into ladies showers.
The Asian Muslims already here may well have become alarmed at the current immigration because the demographic of that immigration is changing. The majority of immigrants are now actively practising Christians, Sikhs, and Hindus, rather than further hoards of their preferred “religion of peace” (and of occasional bombs, grooming gangs, subjugation of women, and genital mutilation).
Speaking of the latter, my Arabic-speaking daughter (BA at SOAS) volunteers for an anti-FGM charity. I did ask why she didn’t also campaign against the Stonewall/Mermaids child mutilation mob, but I’m afraid she wasn’t very forthcoming.
How sad, so many prejudices
None at all. Just facts.
So if that bothers you, deal with it. Educate yourself, as the saying goes.
If you lump everyone together and call it facts, then you’d better go back to school.
It isn’t the people that I have a problem with. It is the religions.
These are primitive superstitions created by man (and specifically by men) for the purpose of coercive control violence, ill-treatment, and subjugation of women and non-believers. I think the example set by Islam is particularly egregious in this regard.
If you think I’m wrong about that, then do tell me why – preferably without quoting the words of any particular scripture, mythical deity, or alter-jockey?
I am an agnostic, so I won’t bore you with quotes from holy books.
We have to acknowledge that religions have played a significant role in shaping human societies and cultures throughout history. However, it’s also important to recognize that the actions of individuals and groups who claim to follow a particular religion do not necessarily reflect the values and teachings of that religion.
While it’s true that some religious beliefs and practices have been used to justify violence, discrimination, and oppression, it’s also true that many religious traditions promote values such as compassion, empathy, and social justice.
You can criticize certain aspects of religious traditions without dismissing them entirely or disrespecting those who hold them.
I am an agnostic, so I won’t bore you with quotes from holy books.
We have to acknowledge that religions have played a significant role in shaping human societies and cultures throughout history. However, it’s also important to recognize that the actions of individuals and groups who claim to follow a particular religion do not necessarily reflect the values and teachings of that religion.
While it’s true that some religious beliefs and practices have been used to justify violence, discrimination, and oppression, it’s also true that many religious traditions promote values such as compassion, empathy, and social justice.
You can criticize certain aspects of religious traditions without dismissing them entirely or disrespecting those who hold them.
It isn’t the people that I have a problem with. It is the religions.
These are primitive superstitions created by man (and specifically by men) for the purpose of coercive control violence, ill-treatment, and subjugation of women and non-believers. I think the example set by Islam is particularly egregious in this regard.
If you think I’m wrong about that, then do tell me why – preferably without quoting the words of any particular scripture, mythical deity, or alter-jockey?
If you lump everyone together and call it facts, then you’d better go back to school.
None at all. Just facts.
So if that bothers you, deal with it. Educate yourself, as the saying goes.
An interesting fact of which I was unaware. Surely an encouraging trend?
It would be nice to believe that. I suppose we shall see.
Personally while I do believe that Islam is a stand-out example in the incitement and encouragement of bad behaviour, I confess that I am unenthusiastic about all religions.
A long life, rich in experience has persuaded me this way – I have come to believe that they all create somewhat more harm than the good that they all do, undoubtedly, deliver.
It would be nice to believe that. I suppose we shall see.
Personally while I do believe that Islam is a stand-out example in the incitement and encouragement of bad behaviour, I confess that I am unenthusiastic about all religions.
A long life, rich in experience has persuaded me this way – I have come to believe that they all create somewhat more harm than the good that they all do, undoubtedly, deliver.
Speaking of the latter, my Arabic-speaking daughter (BA at SOAS) volunteers for an anti-FGM charity. I did ask why she didn’t also campaign against the Stonewall/Mermaids child mutilation mob, but I’m afraid she wasn’t very forthcoming.
How sad, so many prejudices
An interesting fact of which I was unaware. Surely an encouraging trend?
The Asian Muslims already here may well have become alarmed at the current immigration because the demographic of that immigration is changing. The majority of immigrants are now actively practising Christians, Sikhs, and Hindus, rather than further hoards of their preferred “religion of peace” (and of occasional bombs, grooming gangs, subjugation of women, and genital mutilation).
Almost everybody today is woke : the rich, the poor, Labour voters, Tory voters, young and (even) old.
If a politician of any hue stood for election for one of the major parties and said, “I want to stop immigration”, he would not succeed in being elected. If a politician from a minor party (Nigel Farage say) stood for election, all the other parties would label him as a ‘populist’ and not worth voting for. The political parties have it sewn up; they are united in their woke attitudes.
The question is, which is the cause and which is the effect.
IMO the politicians are woke because they want to be elected. They don’t really care as long as they are elected. Once elected they have to follow the crowd. The politicians are not relevant. TV is the problem – even MSN is not really important in the UK.
But wishing for a Tory victory will not mean anything at all.
Oh but in the secrecy of the voting booth he would get elected.
I’m unsure about the first paragraph. A certain demographic of the very rich -maybe; middle class, younger people – yes, but still a minority; poor people – nope, none of them.
Labour voters – see above re. middle class/youth. Tory voters – wishing they had a conservative party to vote for. Old people – only if you think that retired teachers or doctors who have switched their allegiance from CND to [insert name of cause] Rebellion are representative.
Your other points about politicians are quite correct. Maybe I’ve read this wrong and your point is that if politicians from major parties follow a narrative that the wider (conservative/sane/sensible/functioning) public supports, they have no chance of getting elected because they will be de-selected by the party machine. You may be right. It’s utterly depressing.
Oh but in the secrecy of the voting booth he would get elected.
I’m unsure about the first paragraph. A certain demographic of the very rich -maybe; middle class, younger people – yes, but still a minority; poor people – nope, none of them.
Labour voters – see above re. middle class/youth. Tory voters – wishing they had a conservative party to vote for. Old people – only if you think that retired teachers or doctors who have switched their allegiance from CND to [insert name of cause] Rebellion are representative.
Your other points about politicians are quite correct. Maybe I’ve read this wrong and your point is that if politicians from major parties follow a narrative that the wider (conservative/sane/sensible/functioning) public supports, they have no chance of getting elected because they will be de-selected by the party machine. You may be right. It’s utterly depressing.
Almost everybody today is woke : the rich, the poor, Labour voters, Tory voters, young and (even) old.
If a politician of any hue stood for election for one of the major parties and said, “I want to stop immigration”, he would not succeed in being elected. If a politician from a minor party (Nigel Farage say) stood for election, all the other parties would label him as a ‘populist’ and not worth voting for. The political parties have it sewn up; they are united in their woke attitudes.
The question is, which is the cause and which is the effect.
IMO the politicians are woke because they want to be elected. They don’t really care as long as they are elected. Once elected they have to follow the crowd. The politicians are not relevant. TV is the problem – even MSN is not really important in the UK.
But wishing for a Tory victory will not mean anything at all.
Well, you’d hope Labour is listening to the voters….but the influence of the Labour Campaign for Free Movement (and similar) is probably too strong…
Well, you’d hope Labour is listening to the voters….but the influence of the Labour Campaign for Free Movement (and similar) is probably too strong…
“Many of Britain’s ethnic-minority citizens are anything but open-border internationalists. Instead, they are more likely to be patriotic traditionalists who believe in respect for the rule of law, a more restrictive immigration regime, and a well-ordered asylum system which firmly reasserts the line between economic migrants and genuine refugees.”
I don’t know enough ethnic minority citizens to know, but I will take your word. I wonder at what point the Labour (and the Tory) party will realise that it has run out of supporters.
“Many of Britain’s ethnic-minority citizens are anything but open-border internationalists. Instead, they are more likely to be patriotic traditionalists who believe in respect for the rule of law, a more restrictive immigration regime, and a well-ordered asylum system which firmly reasserts the line between economic migrants and genuine refugees.”
I don’t know enough ethnic minority citizens to know, but I will take your word. I wonder at what point the Labour (and the Tory) party will realise that it has run out of supporters.