Kezia Dugdale rejects UK Labour pandering to Tory xenophobia

05/10/2016
david

Dismay among Scottish politicians as UK Labour communication tries to match hard line Conservative rhetoric against immigrants

SCOTTISH LABOUR LEADER KEZIA DUGDALE has lashed out at an official UK Labour press statement which accuses the Conservatives of not cracking down enough on immigration, at the same time as Tory ministers made various extremist threats to almost wipe-out foreign movement into Britain.

Dugdale responded on social media site twitter to a comment by Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, in which she lambasted a graphic from the Labour press office which said that the Conservatives had broken their promises to reduce immigration.

Sturgeon expressed incredulity at the official party response, as it comes during a Conservative party conference which has seen unprecedented anti-immigration rhetoric in the wake of the UK’s vote to leave the EU.

In response, Dugdale said the sentiment was “Not in my name”.

The Conservative conference has heard unprecedented xenophobic rhetoric and anti-foreigner policies. Home secretary Amber Rudd proposed composing lists of firms who hire too many workers from outside the UK, and sought to ban foreign students from entry. Prime minister Theresa May signalled that international doctors will be replaced in the NHS, while trade minister Liam Fox said migrants “come to the country and consume the wealth of the country without ever having created anything” were not welcome.

The UK Labour party has no clear position on immigration, with a group of MPs recently calling for a hard-line on the issue.

Dugdale has signalled that this is not Scottish Labour approach. The party in Scotland now has a different view from the UK party on maintaining EU membership, remaining a member of the signal market, renewing Trident nuclear weapons, and immigration.

All four policies are currently reserved to the Tory Government at Westminster.

Picture courtesy of Scottish Labour

Check out what people are saying about how important CommonSpace is. Pledge your support today.