What concerns me is more of a undertone or a sentiment building under the surface for many normal people. I've heard a lot of people like condemning violence against migrants and centres, and yet there'll be a "but" in there. Like almost a tiny bit of it is justified in their minds. That makes me a bit uneasy because that kind of thing can build over time.
This the real danger.
Successive Tory governments have made it worse, going right back to Cameron and his stupid Brexit referendum. Lots of people in many parts of the UK have been feeling left out, as the Tories played 'musical chairs' with their leader, and with the countries PM. In so doing providing for the current of unrest to re-settle.
'Stopping the boats' (
although involving relative small numbers) has become the 'headline' thing that people want to see happen, as much as anything because it offenders the sentiments of the British (
queue lovers as we are) as a whole, that people are some how 'sneaking in the back door'.
Immigrants (of all kinds) have always been welcomed in these islands and now (going forward) are indeed necessary for this country to survive and develop, but they have to come in the front door, not sneak in the back.
Rishi did at least try to recognise this and counteract it, but again with another stupid idea of removing people to Rwanda and that somehow would be a solution, but which led correctly to cries of 'bullshit'.
Now Starmer (
who really has no time on his side now with all the other problems he faces) wants to solve the problem by going after the people smugglers, etc. yet, he seems oblivious to the fact the authorities have been pursuing drug smugglers for years, but getting nowhere.
Starmer either has to put in place a proper/effective system to expedite claims, or persuade people not come. If he doesn't do the former, the rioting mobs will provide the latter in the form of a 'fear-factor' to try to deter people.
In the meantime for all those migrants already settled here, many into their second and third generations, will tend to get caught up, as targets by the mobs, simply because of the colour of their skin or their religion.
Dark days indeed and the 'knuckle-draggers' could be just the first wave of unrest that will cause as much anguish and upset as the whole Brexit debacle did in British political life, and this will double-down on matters.
We need to be aware of how much of the ice-berg is below the surface.