There are over three million people living in the UK who are citizens of another EU country. That’s about one in 20 of the population. Of course they are not evenly spread – around a million are in London.
Many of them are frightened by the result of the EU referendum. They are anxious that they may be deported once the UK ceases to be a member of the European Union.
Even those who realise that is nonsense feel that the vote last Thursday was a hostile message – a signal that they are not welcome.
It is not surprising that these concerns have arisen. For the past month the Remain campaign pushed out the message that a vote for Brexit was a vote for racism, bigotry and xenophobia.
The Polish nation helped us in WW2, suffered under Stalin & broke the Iron Curtain. Great-grandparents were Polish. pic.twitter.com/ZyJ8Zmvgeq
— carol hedges (@carolJhedges) June 27, 2016
Inevitably, with the refrain being repeated so often, some bigots did take heart from the vote.
There have been instances of racist graffiti. For instance the Polish Social and Cultural Association’s centre in Hammersmith was attacked.
Polish ctr in my Hammersmith neighbrhd smeared w graffiti overnight. First attack in its 50 yr history. Depressing pic.twitter.com/1cfmQzMCEd
— Zanny Minton Beddoes (@zannymb) June 26, 2016
The Polish community has been thriving in west London from well before we entered the European Union and will continue to thrive long after we have left.
The Poles came here during the Second World War and helped us win the Battle of Britain.
How has the climate arisen? How has the mood of celebration since Independence Day come to have been soured?
Of the many dubious elements of Project Fear, the scaremongering on this subject has been the most irresponsible.
Will Straw, the executive director of the Britain Stronger in Europe campaign, claimed on national television that EU citizens living in the UK would be “sent back” in the event of Brexit.
Straw never apologised for his comments – despite utterly failing to substantiate them.
Remain did all they could to focus on the UKIP Leader, Nigel Farage, plastering his face on their leaflets to use him as a bogeyman to scare undecided voters.
An offensive UKIP poster featuring Syrian refugees was promoted with glee by the Remain campaign who did everything possible to maximise its exposure.
Yet it was repudiated by the official Vote Leave campaign – and indeed by many in UKIP, including the Party’s only MP Douglas Carswell.
The bearpit of social media was especially ugly. Teenagers expressing their intention to vote Leave faced “trolls” accusing them of racism.
Worst of all, we even had some attempts to suggest that Leave campaigners should be held responsible for the murder of the Labour MP Jo Cox.
@edwardhenry1 Bigotry now aimed at anyone who voted #Brexit is vicious & insulting – accusations of 17m stupid racists creating nastier mood
— Claire Fox (@Fox_Claire) June 26, 2016
Yet the vast majority of the 17.4 million people who voted Leave are calm, decent, tolerant people far removed from this caricature.
The primary motive was a wish for democracy, for self-government.
Certainly control of our borders is an important part of that. Concern about the unlimited immigration represented by EU membership is scarcely unreasonable.
To favour immigration control from the EU does not mean that it should be cut to zero – and it certainly does not mean support for repatriation.
Most galling was that those EU supporters shouting “racist” are the ones backing a discriminatory immigration policy.
Those settled in London from France can be joined by as many of their relatives as they like, but those who have come from from India or Jamaica face much tighter restrictions.
Brexit is not about being anti-Europe but pro-world. It is a victory not for isolationism but for internationalism.
It frees us to establish open trading relationships and a fairer immigration policy based on merit rather than nationality.
Bigotry was not why Britain voted to exit the EU. It was not being heard and about giving the finger to the elites. https://t.co/9PPAKPCQFj
— Kevin Wheeler (@kwheeler) June 27, 2016
We can judge each individual on what they have to offer, not on where they are from.
Those from the continent who are hard-working, law-abiding and settled into local communities in the UK have had their fears raised in the most despicable way.
The media and politicians of all parties must make loud and clear that they will remain very welcome in a free, independent, and increasingly prosperous UK.
