Are you a racist yet?

 Do you dislike immigrants? Do you agree with David Cameron and believe that multiculturalism has failed? Do you have a fear of 'other' cultures and religions, particularly Muslims? If there was a new right-wing political party that expressed these views without the fascist trappings of the British National Party, would you consider supporting them? If so, don't be shy, because according to a new report, Fear and Hope, your views are shared by a very large section of people in Britain. 


Some 34% of white Britons believe all immigration into the UK should be stopped permanently. 52% of Britons agree with the proposition "Muslims create problems in the UK", while 63% of white Britons agree with the proposition that "on the whole, immigration into Britain has been a bad thing for the country". In addition, 48% of Britons say they would consider supporting a new far right-wing party, if it shunned violence and fascist imagery.


The statistics have emerged from a Searchlight Educational Trust (SET) poll to explore current attitudes to national identity, religion and race. It is one of the largest surveys to explore these themes with 5054 respondents being asked 91 questions to reveal the level of fear and hate within our society.  Formed in 1992 SET is a charity that aims to to provide organisations, groups and individuals with the knowledge and tools to tackle racial hatred. The results of the this report will form the basis for a new SET project Together, which will seek to address these findings.


The Guardian reported, 


'These findings will be shocking to many. They shatter many of our liberal preconceptions. And they demonstrate conclusively that when it comes to the narrative of migration and race, our politicians and our community leaders are now running far behind those they seek to represent.'


The report's authors, Nick Lowles and Antony Painter, argue that immigration is creating a new type of politics driven by race and identity. They conclude that Britain is now divided into six 'tribes': Confident Multiculturalists (eight per cent of the population); Mainstream Liberals (16%); Identity Ambivalents (28%); Cultural Integrationists (24%); Latent Hostiles (10%); and Active Enmity (13%). The centre ground, making up 52% of the population, is dominated by Cultural Integrationists who are motived by authority and order; and Identity Ambivalents who are concerned about their economic security and social change.


It seems the more pessimistic individuals are about their future economic prospects, the more inclined they will be to have negative attitudes to immigrants. The 'Identity ambivalents' are seen as the group most likely to be swayed towards the new far-right in the shape of the identity driven groups like the English Defence League. These are either traditional Labour supporters or unaligned voters who feel their concerns were ignored by the Labour Government and are now being further hit by the deep Conservative cuts.  


On a more positive note the poll suggested that there was an appetite for mainstream politicians to take on extremism of any kind, Muslim and the far-right were identified as being as bad as each other. However, it warned the mainstream parties that they will have to adjust to the new political culture or face pushing voters towards into the arms of those extremist organisations. Are they the only ones that need to adjust to the changing political culture?


Searchlight magazine was established in 1975 to confront the growth of fascist organisations and to expose racism and anti-semitism across the country. One of the interesting aspects of the poll is the number of minority groups who are also opposed to immigration. Some 39% of Asian Britons and 21% of black Britons now believe: 'all immigration into the UK should be stopped permanently, or at least until the UK's economic situation improves.' A remarkable 43% of Asian Britons and 17% of black Britons agree with the proposition that "on the whole, immigration into Britain has been a bad thing for the country".

Searchlight Educational Trust should be applauded for recognising the influence of economic security, rather than pure innate bigotry, as driving the results. Racism has not disappeared, far from it, but as The Guardian noted Tebbits's cricket test has been replaced by  Lowles and Painter's 'means' test. Although it is not expressed in these terms, the report recognises that the hostility to immigration is largely class based. Many people in the lower income groups are feeling the squeeze and immigration is adding to that uncertainty. 

Boston

A report by the Daily Mail, today, highlighted how New Labour suppressed a number of reports revealing the damaging effects of immigration, particularly on rural communities and to public services. These were issues I recognised after a visit back to my hometown, Boston in Lincolnshire.  (http://canthingsonlygetbetter.blogspot.com/2011/01/land-of-my-pilgrim-fathers-boston.html.) Between 2004 and 2008 Boston saw its population grow by 25% thanks largely to immigration from Eastern Europe and Portugal. The town has been left shell-shocked and it should be a warning to the mainstream parties who, as the Fear and Hope report highlights, not only misjudged the effects of immigration but also the appropriate response to the far-right. Of the 32 seats on Boston Council, 25 are currently held by a loosely connected group of independent councillors. There is one far-right councillor.


How many more will there be after the next elections?