What is it with these footballers, thinking that it is not right to let children go hungry, and now that refugees should be treated humanely? Surely they should leave all that up to the government. Let’s look at exactly Lineker said:“There is no huge influx. We take far fewer refugees than other major European countries. This is just an immeasurably cruel policy directed at the most vulnerable people in language that is not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the 30s, and I’m out of order?”He did not mention the Nazis or the holocaust (specifically). I think his reference to “language that is not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the 30s” was very pointed. The Nazi extermination camps were not introduced until 1941 / 1942. But it was the language used before that that paved the way. Lineker was warning us of where the use of dehumanising language can lead. Language by Braverman such as:“There are 100 million people displaced around the world, and likely billions more eager to come here if possible.”“The British people deserve to know which party is serious about stopping the invasion on our Southern Coast”. “…. an activist blob of left-wing lawyers, civil servants and the Labour party”.So he was not entirely wrong by making the comparison with the language used in Germany in the Nazis’ early years in power, looking to dehumanise some sectors of the population and to demonise others.In the year to September 2022 the UK granted asylum to 15,987 refugees. In the year to September 2021 Germany granted asylum to 127,730, and France 96,510. So it looks like Lineker was also right when he said “We take far fewer refugees than other major European countries.” I have heard Tory ministers (including Sunak) saying ad nauseum that stopping the so called small boards is a “priority of the British people”. None of the evidence supports that. I suspect that the governments’ propaganda campaign to try to move this up the agenda is far more about the fact that they are facing a near total wipe out at the next election. They need to keep hold of a few of the “red wall” seats, and recognise that some of the vote that moved over to the Tories from Labour during the Brexit campaign will be lost to Reform. All the noise about the “small boats”, and window dressing announcements of legislation is playing to that gallery.And remember: One of Reform’s policies is for the UK to withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights, which is a policy also supported by some on the right of the Tory party. So how about this for a thought:The Tories could never get away with telling us, and the rest of the electorate, that “We will take away YOUR human rights by leaving the ECHR”.Far easier to say “We will take away THEIR human rights”, whilst pointing to refugees who they have spent the last few years dehumanising and demonising.Then all of our international law protections under the ECHR also vanish in a puff of smoke. Protections such as: the Right to Life (Article 2); Prohibition of torture (Article 3); Prohibition of slavery and forced labour (Article 4) Right to liberty and security (Article 5) Right to a fair trial (Article 6) No punishment without law (Article 7) Right to respect for private and family life (Article 8) Freedom of thought, conscience and religion (Article 9) Freedom of expression (Article 10) Freedom of assembly and association (Article 11 Right to marry (Article 12) Right to an effective remedy (Article 13)Prohibition of discrimination (on grounds such as sex, race, colour, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, association with a national minority, property, birth or other status) (Article 14).Don't underestimate this government. We have some deeply unpleasant and unprincipled people in high offices. First they came for the CommunistsAnd I did not speak outBecause I was not a CommunistThen they came for the SocialistsAnd I did not speak outBecause I was not a SocialistThen they came for the trade unionistsAnd I did not speak outBecause I was not a trade unionistThen they came for the JewsAnd I did not speak outBecause I was not a JewThen they came for meAnd there was no one leftTo speak out for meAll credit to Lineker (and others) for speaking out now, before it is too late to turn the tide. And all credit to the many people who have come out to support him, showing where the sentiments of "the British People" really lie.
T P Howell ● 1287d