One week following the devastating fire that engulfed Grenfell Tower in June 2017, I participated in a silent march from the library in Ladbroke Grove to the tower itself.
As I gazed upon the tower, its dreadful and shocking black exterior resembling something from the depths of hell, I was overcome with a sense of dread. It stood as a grim and menacing structure, blind, charred, and towering above, its windows devoid of glass, a stark reminder of negligence and the moral ugliness that plagues our society.
That image haunts me, as I’m sure it does many others, just as I was haunted by the sight of the Bibby Stockholm barge in Portland, Dorset. Reading about its cramped cabins, fire risks, and potential illness, and thinking about those who now find themselves residing there, it is clear that it will become an overcrowded, dangerous, and humiliating space for those seeking refuge in this country.
How can we maintain our pride and dignity when a member of parliament, supported by the justice secretary, chooses to speak about fellow human beings in demeaning and disgusting terms? What does it say about our society when we fail to offer individuals seeking asylum from persecution, war, domestic violence, and trafficking a safe place to live, work, and educate their children? We have lost our compassion, our dignity, and our ability to extend kindness to those who come to our shores. How can we subject them to the dangers and degradation of living in what is essentially a prison?
It is unacceptable for anyone in this country to align themselves with racist, hateful, and hostile sentiments, whether expressed by a member of parliament or any other insensitive and inhuman individual. I feel ashamed, and those who govern our country should feel the same.
Alexandra Wright
Senior Rabbi, The Liberal Jewish Synagogue; President, Liberal Judaism
If we genuinely desire to address the issue of boat crossings, whether due to humanitarian concerns or as a divisive political tactic, we must consider the underlying motivations. Currently, it appears that asylum cases are far more likely to be approved than rejected. Consequently, it is not irrational for individuals to choose a Channel crossing when alternate routes are unavailable. To respond with humanity, we should expedite the assessment process and establish additional pathways for asylum seekers.
Conversely, a divisive response would involve underfunding case assessments to maximize the number of individuals in the system, deliberately making it more challenging and costly through attention-grabbing initiatives like Rwandan flights and barges, and even resorting to derogatory language, as witnessed in the “fuck off back to France” remark, while putting lawyers’ safety at risk. It seems inevitable that this government perceives greater benefits in not resolving the small boats issue, leaving little hope for change unless prompted by a particularly fraught general election campaign.
Kevin Potter
Professor Emeritus, Bristol University
The offensive and profanity-laden tirade against refugees by the Conservative Party deputy chairman holds significance not only for its cruelty but also for what it reveals about his constituency’s expectations in the upcoming general election.
Will King
Exeter
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