I do think that the momentum and tone of the anti-immigration campaigns has seen a definite shift of late, and clearly not in a good way.
But I still maintain that it’s wishful thinking, and simply not true, to suggest that it’s only Reform and the Conservatives that have been tapping into this and changing their language in response.
It’s stretching credulity to believe that Labour didn’t know what they were doing with the Enoch Powell speech, or that they weren’t aware of the connotations of that particular phrase. Starmer can express as much regret as he likes, but he still chose to use the term and he knew what was doing.
It’s also a fact that this government has deliberately mis-represented and distorted elements of the migration data in order to claim that they have deported thousands of foreigners over the past year. Why would they do this, if not to appear tougher on immigration than the last government, or indeed to counter and mimic Reform’s rhetoric on the issue?
The pledge to end the use of migrant hotels is just another populist gimmick, but an example nonetheless of how Labour have moved in response to Reform.
I don't disagree about Labour's rhetoric.
But, that's not really the point I'm making. Im suggesting some on tne right have seen immigration become a mainstream debate, and decided to keep pushing.
Most people, including Farage, really don't want to be considered racists, but if he continues to fan the flames, it'll be very difficult to avoid that perception. Similarly Jenrick has been making outright racist statements, and been reckless enough to attend events with actual nazis. I'd say that he's gone far beyond what most Tories would have considered acceptable during the last few decades.
It won't come as a surprise that I want Reform to fail. I suspect they’re pushing things too far, and, instead of achieving the 'respectability' they had been aiming for, I hope they start losing their more mainstream support.

