'Immigration plans aimed to appeal voters'
As UK election is getting closer, political parties’ campaigns are expanding to include various social issues. Immigration is among the main issues dominating election campaigns.
The Labour Leader Ed Miliband said his party would set up a task force to target firms who encourage low skills immigration and undermine the minimum wage. As expected, Labour’s rival, Conservatives said it was in denial and nothing being proposed would help to control immigration. On the other hands parties like the Lib Dems have proposed plans to boost apprenticeships.
Experts view the plans as a measure to appeal the voters who have turned their backs on the Labour party over the matter of immigration.
“The reality is that the welfare and well-being of migrants is not the government’s primary concern here,” Human Rights Activist Lee Jasper told Press TV.
He went on saying that plans like this are addressing the fears of xenophobic British voters who want a clamp down on migrants working in the UK who are as they allege, taking the jobs of British workers.
“The reality is of course that if migrant workers were to leave the UK overnight tomorrow, then the National Health Service would collapse, we’d have no food and vegetables on our tables, and many shops and services would close down,” Jasper said.
The activist expressed concerns over racist trend in UK adding:” When it comes to treatment of migrants in the United Kingdom, I’m afraid that Britain like the rest of the Europe, is treating migrants without any due regards for their welfare, their human rights, their quality of life and the xenophobic hysteria that is both targeting migrants and targeting Muslim communities has resulted in the most profound discrimination and prejudice towards migrant communities.”
He expressed doubt over the feasibility of such plans saying: “I don’t think anything the Labour party has announced today will go towards ameliorating that xenophobia and racism that has become such a predominant part of European political debate and certainly here in the United Kingdom.”
MTM/MH
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