You think we are bad with identity politics until you look across the water at England. The Daily Express managed the impressive task of simultaneously criticising migrants and congratulating them on the same page.
You don’t like to overshadow Emma Raducanu’s magnificent achievement with discussion around her heritage. But it is astonishing how quickly people can switch from ‘immigrants out’ to embracing new ‘British’ stars.
We have been here before. When Andy Murray loses he is Scottish. When he wins he is British.
Can someone explain to me the anti-immigrant sentiment in a country with a Turkish-American PM, Ugandan-Asian Home Sec, Asian Chancellor, Czech Foreign Sec, Sierra Leonian Party Chairman, & Rumanian tennis star?
What am I missing?— A C Grayling #FBPE 3.5% #Reform #Rejoin #FBPA 🐟 (@acgrayling) September 12, 2021
England has benefited immensely from the contributions of immigrants, a fact they are very loath to admit at times. For example, over 30% of medical staff in the NHS are Asian.
When non-whites point out these obvious contradictions they get flack for being ‘divisive’.
If you play in a tennis final you’re British if you’re a builder/delivery man/waitress etc you’re Romanian.
— Adil Ray OBE (@adilray) September 10, 2021
It is a tricky balance to be anti-immigrant on one side but on the other side, you don’t mind the ones who are rich, sporty or can save your life if you drop down with a heart attack.
I help to manage Slugger by taking care of the site as well as running our live events. My background is in business, marketing and IT. My politics tend towards middle-of-the-road pragmatism, I am not a member of any political party. Oddly for a member of the Slugger team, I am not that interested in daily politics, preferring to write about big ideas in society. When not stuck in front of a screen, I am a parkrun Run Director.
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