Ed jumps on the "lets all kick the immigrants" bandwagon

[Drew Peacock]

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/oct/11/ed-miliband-toughen-benefit-rules-for-migrants

[Jeneral2885]

1. Anti-Immigration

is not the sure step to No. 10.

[T_i_B]

3. The problem here...

...is that there are a lot of people who are obsessively anti-immigrant and think it's the only issue of any significance affecting this country.

The trouble for Ed Miliband, is that it's not really possible for Labour to persuade many of these people away from the likes of UKIP no matter what they say or do. UKIP are completely and utterly wrong on immigration, but there are a lot of people who find incessant immigrant bashing very attractive.

[LeftishBrit]

2. Unfortunately, all the parties are running scared of UKIP.

Unnecessarily, I think. UKIP will not be a major force in the long-term. But of course politicians, especially 7 months before an election, tend to think just in the short-term.

[Nihil]

4. Good grief! A politician who has listened to the people? (Or at least to someone that has done so)

>> As well as stronger border controls and laws to stop “exploitation that has
>> undermined wages of local workers”, Labour will commit to “reforms to ensure
>> those who come here speak English and earn the right to any benefit entitlements”.

Just what in the above is wrong?

It might have taken those nutters in UKIP to get politicians of all stripes
to pay attention to anyone beyond the M25 (or their owners/sponsors)
but if the major parties don't do something, the extremists WILL get in.

They will get in because they are promising something that the voters want
and because they haven't betrayed their voters in the past - unlike every single
major party.

(No, I can't see the kippers doing any better on the "keeping their word" part
than any other politician but the big thing is that they haven't got a track
record of letting people down - yet - so people will be tempted to give them a try.)