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.
The Tories have broken their own promise on immigration #CPC16 pic.twitter.com/kxZ5a0IPDR
— Labour Press Team (@labourpress) 4 October 2016
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.
Is this really Labour's response to the Tories' increasingly intolerant language about 'foreigners'? https://t.co/iVws3Yuyim
— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) 5 October 2016
In response, Dugdale said the sentiment was “Not in my name”.
Not in my name. https://t.co/d81LCGgX31
— Kezia Dugdale (@kezdugdale) 5 October 2016
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.
Borrowing from the BNP? it's wholesale larceny. A very British coup by anti-immigration populists. pic.twitter.com/wJgq4MGASm
— Iain Macwhirter (@iainmacwhirter) 5 October 2016
Liam Fox – how is that "Brexit would not make Britain more inward looking" thingy working out? pic.twitter.com/ZFJssJPLSN
— James Melville (@JamesMelville) 5 October 2016
Tomorrow's front page: Firms must list foreign workers #tomorrowspaperstoday https://t.co/qnxDNsNgzd pic.twitter.com/zK3E7LQcax
— The Times of London (@thetimes) 4 October 2016
Picture courtesy of Scottish Labour
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