Katie Simpson, Northampton Socialist Party
The Tories plan to house 500 people who come to the UK illegally on a barge in a Dorset port. The barge is deliberately unpleasant to ‘deter’ migrants from coming here. But the Tories ignore the real reason people flee their homes in dangerous parts of the world – war, economic instability and incredible poverty.
The Tories have no plans for extra money for Dorset’s already stretched and underfunded services. The barge is on top of the government’s current arrangement – asylum seekers living in hotels.
Due to the Tories’ divisive rhetoric, these hotels have become targets of hateful racist organisations. Socialist Party members have helped mobilise the local community to oppose the far right on this issue in Kirkby, Carlisle, Newquay and Mansfield by campaigning for ‘jobs, homes, and services for all’ (see ‘Far-right attack Kirkby migrant hotel’ at socialistparty.org.uk).
Fighting for public services for those fleeing war, terror and poverty, as well as people already living here, is an important start to tackling this division. However, both Labour and Tory councils have cut the services we rely on.
