History repeats itself, and the echoes of the past are chillingly loud. We often forget the lessons learned from our ancestors, treating each new political challenge as if it were unprecedented. But beneath the surface, many of today's issues have deep historical roots, and understanding those roots is crucial to navigating the present and shaping a better future.
The recent attack on immigrant and refugee rights by the Home Secretary has sent shockwaves through the nation. Shabana Mahmood's proposal to extend the qualification period for immigrants to gain indefinite leave to remain in the UK from five to ten years (and up to twenty for refugees) is a disturbing development. Her broader assault on asylum seekers, denying them permanent refugee status even with successful claims, is equally unsettling. But here's where it gets controversial: these policies are eerily reminiscent of a dark chapter in British history.
Flashback to 1924, when Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin appointed Sir William Joynson-Hicks as Home Secretary. Joynson-Hicks, an unapologetic antisemite, raised the bar for immigrants to achieve naturalization, equivalent to indefinite leave to remain, from five to ten years, and to fifteen years for Russians, a euphemism for Jewish refugees fleeing persecution. He made it incredibly difficult for refugees to settle in the UK, instructing immigration officers to be vigilant and never give the benefit of the doubt to aliens attempting entry. Joynson-Hicks' policies eerily foreshadow those of Mahmood, despite the absence of any suggestion of antisemitism in her case.
The context is also strikingly similar. The right-wing press of the time, led by publications like the Times, Daily Mail, and Express, had spent years stoking paranoia about a flood of aliens and undesirables entering the country. Jews were often the target of these accusations, with widespread claims of tribalism, refusal to assimilate, and unpatriotic behavior. The Imperial Fascist League even went as far as to distribute stickers warning Britons not to allow Jews to tamper with white girls. Jewish immigrants were blamed for housing shortages, unemployment, and leeching off the state. Sound familiar?
Joynson-Hicks' disparaging remarks about Jews, accusing them of prioritizing their Jewish nationality over their English identity, and his belief that left-wingers wanted to flood England with alien refuse, echo the sentiments expressed about Muslims and immigrants today. Both groups are accused of tribalism, failure to assimilate, hostility to British values, and tampering with white girls. They are blamed for housing and employment issues and accused of leeching off the state. Right-wing conspiracy theories claim that Muslims are seeking to establish an Islamic world order, much like the theories about a Jewish world order a century ago. Figures like Suella Braverman and Matthew Goodwin suggest that ethnic minorities cannot truly be English or British, proposing a literal blood-and-soil definition of Englishness rooted in ancestry and ethnicity.
But here's the kicker: these characterizations are entirely false. A recent poll found that Muslims in the UK and the US are more likely than non-Muslims to believe that democracy is the best system of government and to express loyalty to their respective countries. So, why all the hatred and division?
The primary source of this hatred, then and now, is the media. Publications like the Daily Mail, Express, and others continue to pour division and bile into our lives, supplemented today by outlets like GB News and social media platforms. Governments, instead of addressing the lies and polarization, often shift the blame onto others. Last week, both Keir Starmer and Nigel Farage accused the Green Party of sectarianism for attracting Muslim votes, an accusation that seems to equate Muslims with sectarianism.
If we want to stop the cycle of hatred, polarization, and division, we must stand up to the right-wing media. This is a lesson from history. The alliance between the Daily Mail and the British Union of Fascists could have led to disaster, but in 1934, a Jewish-owned company, J Lyons & Co, threatened to boycott the Daily Mail unless it withdrew its support for fascism. When the Mail caved, the fascist movement began to wither. It's a proud moment in history, with my own ancestors, the Lyons family, and my great-great uncle, Sir Isidore Salmon, playing a pivotal role.
However, it shouldn't be left to advertisers to confront these issues. It's the government's responsibility to challenge the lies in the media and address the root causes of polarization. Instead, governments often endorse these narratives and grovel to oligarchs.
The consequences of this failure are far-reaching. Net migration might turn negative this year, with dire consequences for public services, especially hospitals, care homes, universities, and private employers. Politically, the government's right-wing policies are equally destructive, with the latest polling showing an astonishing collapse in support for Labour, with only 37% of 2024 voters intending to vote for them now. To appease the billionaire press, the government has set itself on fire.
The narrative of "scheming aliens undermining our values" has been perpetuated for over a century, originally by antisemites. It has been drilled into our collective consciousness as an incontrovertible truth, creating an environment where every minority becomes less safe. It's a choice: learn from history or repeat its mistakes. That's the challenge we face today, just as it was a century ago.
