During the summer, Union and St George’s flags were attached to lampposts and St George’s crosses painted on roundabouts and crossing points. Is this harmless patriotism done in the cause of unity, or is it being done to mark out territory, and to intimidate certain groups that the flag raiser dislikes? This flag-raising is often framed as an angry protest against ‘Broken Britain’, where potholes, polluted waterways, failing public services and above all immigration are said to be a result of politicians not listening to Britain, especially to the working class.
Depending on your political viewpoint, blame for Broken Britain is either due to diversity and immigration or alternatively, the economic inequality exacerbated by the machinations of wealthy, large corporations, and a lack of regard for ‘working class values’. But immigration is a complex subject and the concept of a single set of ‘working class values’ is overly simplistic. In Underdogs: The Truth About Britain’s White Working Class, Joel Budd offers the view that the working class is not monolithic and that the nastiness imputed by rightwing politicians as being ‘authentic working-class values’, may owe more to the golf club prejudices of suburbia, than belief in Robinsonian racism.
The rise of political disillusionment
Nonetheless, Britain is divided. The latest British Social Attitudes survey shows political fragmentation and decreasing trust in the government. There are now “record low levels of support” for the electoral system that has traditionally underpinned two-party politics, and increasing backing for parties like Reform. Clearly, this government is spooked by what is portrayed as an unstoppable drift to the extreme right, as expressed recently by a huge far-right march in London on 13 September 2025. But is far-right activist Tommy Robinson, or the Reform Party, really the future of UK government? And what is causing this shift?
Why traditional Labour voters have turned to Reform
In a recent article in The Observer entitled ‘No one listens to us’, Kenan Malik suggests that some of the traditionally Labour-voting working class have turned to Reform or the extreme right in desperation. This desperation is said to stem in part from the inequalities of free market globalised economics, that has created a tiny minority of extremely wealthy winners, but a growing number of impoverished losers. We have long known about the growing gap between the ‘haves and have nots’ and a new report from the Resolution Foundation states that a lifetime of earnings not is enough for UK workers to join the wealthiest 10%. The losers are becoming increasingly restive and the risk of social unrest is increasing.
This economic divide is not helped by governments of both the main parties talking up so-called ‘market solutions’, that have for the most part made things worse. The privatised rail and steel industries have had to be re-nationalised and bailed out. Water is not far behind.
Britain’s divisions on immigration
Four in five people say Britain is divided and 88% are concerned about the state of the British economy. But there are also high levels of concern regarding small boat crossings and fears of violence targeting individuals due to their ethnicity or immigration status.
But this is not new. In fact if we look back to the 1960s, public concern regarding immigration was greater and Britain has a history of migration protests and indeed riots. The issue is also nuanced, in that Ukrainians seeking asylum are by and large tolerated, so race and religion play a part. The data also shows a more positive view of immigration where higher-skilled migrants are concerned.
How can we bridge these divisions? Well, immigration can certainly be managed better. Why is it that the only thing that seems to be organised in Britain is crime? The government only appears to react to immigration issues when a dire situation occurs. Then it throws vast amounts of cash at the problem in a panic.
Improving the immigration system
Spain has tackled this problem head on. All immigrants are taught proficiency in Spanish, by providing free or low-cost tutelage in the language on entry. They are found work and accommodation, so they can contribute to the society that hosts them. In Britain, even Ukrainians were met with dither and incompetence from officials. It took a network of charities and individuals to fill the breach.
Asylum seekers appear to generate the greatest public concern. The University of Oxford’s Migration Observatory has highlighted that: “Attitudes towards asylum seekers tend to be more restrictive compared to other groups of people moving to the UK.” How can we address these concerns?
Improving the asylum system
From day one, while asylum status is being assessed, each immigrant should be taught English and given instruction on the customs and practices of life in Britain. At worst, each immigrant will have the valuable gift of speaking a world language. All asylum seekers should be given work, and the government should set up an agency to hire out staff to industries that need them. All migrants should be assessed for life skills and education, so that they can achieve fulfillment while being of value to their host country. Identity cards should also be introduced.
In terms of housing, I think asylum-seekers should initially be housed in communities on government-owned land. The government should be hard-nosed about this and ignore the usual NIMBYs. If given leave to remain, they should be integrated into society by another agency, probably run by specialist charities, and not by companies like Serco or Capita.
Tackling misinformation on immigration
Most people are kind, but they are fed a continual stream of conspiracies and misinformation designed to scare them and threaten their way of life. But by and large, diversity works, especially in urban areas. It is often in areas with low overall diversity but a small, visible migrant population that fear and mistrust are most pronounced. So, why not publicise the stories of migrants to show that they don’t have two heads or horns, and in many ways want the same things as their hosts? You will not convince the hard-faced people who believe in racial purity, but you might succeed in challenging their divisive narrative.
Not all those migrating will be nice law-abiding people, but neither will they be a band of cutthroats seeking to terrorise vulnerable communities. We must deal swiftly and properly with those who do wrong, as in the case of Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, who has now been deported. At the same time, we must point out the benefits that migration can bring. Had we not allowed migration in the past, our science and culture would have been immeasurably poorer than it is. Past governments have been less than truthful about immigration, and why it is needed in a country with a falling birth rate and ageing population.
Badly run Britain
The conflict over immigration and identity is bound up within a Britain which has been badly run for decades, exacerbating income inequality and the economic divide. Whole communities have been run down and ignored, except when they riot or kick off. Funding has been drip-fed and subject to what in America is known as ‘pork barrel politics’, where projects are funded on the basis of where it will garner the biggest number of votes. What is needed is concentration on better education in deprived areas, and much greater efforts to tackle run-down town centres and public transport. This will improve social wellbeing and social cohesion.
Decades of centralised decision making from Whitehall has contributed to deep regional inequalities, leaving some communities feeling neglected and vulnerable. In such contexts, immigration can become a scapegoat. What is needed is consistent policy making to make life better for all, but especially those living in deprived areas. If people can see improvements in their lives and on their streets, they will respond positively. The Troubles in Northern Ireland showed how deep and complex societal divisions can spiral into violence. If we want to avoid seeing armoured land rovers and armed police on the streets of England, we need to change our ways very quickly.
