By MOSAICC
The Labour Party’s recent endorsement of filming the removal of failed asylum seekers and undocumented migrants is a chilling reminder of how far the political spectrum has shifted to the right. When even Ann Widdecombe, a former Conservative hardliner, Brexit Party MEP and now REFORM member, applauds your immigration stance, it’s clear you are no longer offering an alternative; you are simply reinforcing the same cruel policies that feed anti-immigrant hysteria.
A Spectacle, Not a Solution
The decision to film deportations serves no practical purpose beyond creating a public spectacle. It’s not about improving transparency or accountability; it’s about performative toughness, a visual display designed to appease right-wing tabloids and voters who demand harsh enforcement. It reduces human beings, many of whom have fled war, persecution, and economic devastation, to props in a political theatre of control.
Such tactics are deeply dehumanising. They strip people of their dignity, turning their forced removal into an act of public shaming. Filming deportations does not fix the broken asylum system, nor does it address the root causes of migration, it simply fuels the idea that immigration is a problem to be ‘solved’ through punitive measures.
Labour’s Rightward Drift
This move is just the latest in a pattern of Labour mimicking right-wing rhetoric instead of challenging it. Under Keir Starmer’s leadership, the party has steadily distanced itself from the compassionate, rights-based approach to immigration that it once claimed to support. Instead, it is now actively competing with the Conservatives and Reform UK for the ‘tough on immigration’ vote, a game that only strengthens the far-right narrative.
History has shown that when centrists try to outdo the right on their own turf, they lose. The public will always choose the “real deal” over a watered-down imitation. And in the process, we all lose, because this shift drags mainstream politics further towards normalising xenophobia, criminalising migration, and legitimising hostility towards those seeking refuge.
The Consequences of Normalising Hostility
The impact of such policies goes beyond political point-scoring. They contribute to a climate of fear for migrants and ethnic minority communities, emboldening the far-right and reinforcing a narrative that presents immigrants as threats rather than human beings with rights and dignity. They also distract from the real issues, the failures of government policies that have led to economic hardship, crumbling public services, and growing inequalities.
Blaming immigrants is the oldest trick in the book, and it’s one Labour should be exposing, not embracing. The party should be challenging the myths and misinformation around migration, highlighting the positive contributions of migrants, and fighting for a fair and humane immigration system, not cosying up to the rhetoric of Reform UK, the Daily Mail, and the hard right.
A Better Way Forward
Instead of engaging in spectacle politics, Labour should be:
Reforming the asylum system to ensure timely, fair, and humane decisions.
Tackling the root causes of forced migration, including climate change, war, and economic exploitation.
Challenging the racist narratives that scapegoat migrants instead of addressing systemic failures.
Standing up for human rights rather than capitulating to fearmongering.
Labour should not be in a race to the bottom with Reform UK and the Tories. It should be offering leadership, vision, and a genuine alternative to the politics of division and cruelty. If it continues down this path, it risks not just losing elections, but losing its soul.
MOSAICC believes in justice, fairness, and dignity for all, and we will continue to challenge policies that seek to dehumanise, divide, and distract. Labour should remember that opposition isn’t about looking ‘tough’, it’s about doing what’s right.
Reflective Questions
Ethical Considerations: What are the ethical implications of filming the removal of asylum seekers? How does it impact their dignity and rights?
Spectacle vs Policy: Does publicising deportations serve as a deterrent, or does it simply fuel xenophobic narratives?
Historical Precedents: How have past immigration policies in the UK contributed to today’s hostile environment?
Labour’s Shift: What does Labour’s rightward shift on immigration indicate about the broader political landscape in the UK?
Media Influence: How do the media shape public perceptions of immigration, and what role do they play in legitimising or challenging harmful policies?
Public Responsibility: What can communities and activists do to counter the normalisation of anti-immigrant rhetoric?
Alternative Approaches: What policy alternatives exist that prioritise fairness and humanity in immigration enforcement?
Impact on Communities: How do such policies affect migrant communities' sense of safety, belonging, and participation in society?
Human Rights Perspective: What international human rights laws and frameworks does the UK’s approach to deportations contradict?
Comparative Analysis: How do other European countries handle deportations, and what can the UK learn from them?
Additional Reading
Books
Anderson, B. (2013) Us and Them? The Dangerous Politics of Immigration Control. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Jones, O. (2020) This Land: The Story of a Movement. London: Allen Lane.
Mayblin, L. (2017) Asylum after Empire: Colonial Legacies in the Politics of Asylum Seeking. London: Rowman & Littlefield.
Virdee, S. (2014) Racism, Class and the Racialized Outsider. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Shilliam, R. (2018) Race and the Undeserving Poor: From Abolition to Brexit. Newcastle: Agenda Publishing.
Elliott-Cooper, A. (2021) Black Resistance to British Policing. Manchester: Manchester University Press.
Giroux, H. A. (2017) The Public in Peril: Trump and the Menace of American Authoritarianism. New York: Routledge.
Reports & Policy Papers
Refugee Council (2023) The Impact of Immigration Enforcement on Asylum Seekers in the UK. Available at: www.refugeecouncil.org.uk
Institute of Race Relations (2022) Hostile Environment: How Immigration Policies Harm Communities. London: IRR.
Amnesty International UK (2021) The Human Cost of Immigration Detention. Available at: www.amnesty.org.uk
Journal Articles
Bhambra, G. K. (2017) ‘Brexit, Trump, and ‘Methodological Whiteness’: On the Misrecognition of Race and Class’, British Journal of Sociology, 68(S1), pp. 214-232.
Goodfellow, M. (2020) ‘The Racial Politics of Immigration Control in Britain’, Ethnic and Racial Studies, 43(9), pp. 1587-1605.
El-Enany, N. (2021) ‘(B)ordering Britain: Law, Race and Empire’, Social & Legal Studies, 30(4), pp. 501-523.
Webber, F. (2019) ‘Border Controls and the Changing Role of the State’, Race & Class, 61(1), pp. 3-22.
This curated list provides critical perspectives on immigration, border enforcement, and the UK’s hostile environment policies. It includes books, reports, and academic articles that challenge mainstream narratives and offer deeper insight into the intersection of race, class, and migration policy.
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