If we want to prevent decades of civil unrest, we need to openly debate mass migration and especially low-quality immigration, explains Andrew Hunt.
The riots and legitimate protests of the past fortnight have often been summed up as Far-Right versus Muslims; or even more crassly by Sadiq Khan as an issue of Brown versus White. This does everyone a disservice, especially democracy.
At heart, there is deep concern about mass migration, and particularly illegal immigration. Barely a day goes by without a horrific story that everyone agrees is unacceptable.
Whether it’s the Gambian rapist who cannot be deported because he may not get the healthcare he needs back home, or the Kurdish migrant who pushed a 61-year-old in front of a train. There is something profoundly dangerous about our immigration system. This has nothing to do with racism or the far-right, and everything to do with the foundations of society, the rule of law and the social contract.
There is something profoundly dangerous about our immigration system. This has nothing to do with racism or the far-right, and everything to do with the foundations of society, the rule of law and the social contract.
But attitudes on the broader issue of legal migration have also changed fast. Over the past year the economic case for mass migration has been obliterated. Myself, The CPS’ Karl Williams and the OBR’s David Miles have all written comprehensive research demonstrating that mass migration is destroying British quality of life and making us financially poorer.
Since Brexit, the quality and economic contribution of the average arrival has collapsed. On average, they just do not generate anything like enough economic wealth to cover the costs of the public services, infrastructure and housing that they need; let alone long-term issues like integration, environmental pressures and social cohesion.
As Labour grandee Margaret Hodge has written, we must stop viewing these legitimate concerns through the ugly prism of identity politics. Because crucially, mass migration is hurting the poorest the most. On my estimates, twenty years of mass migration has cost the poorest British households over £300 a week.
On my estimates, twenty years of mass migration has cost the poorest British households over £300 a week.
To have a fair debate about immigration, we need people who can make these points without being branded far-right. And that is why it is time to give IMAMMs a voice. I came up with the acronym to describe Integrated Muslims Against Mass Migration. Fittingly, ‘Imam’ is Arabic for ‘one who leads.’
If you live in any British city, you probably know a good few IMAMMs. Most British Muslims are peaceful and law-abiding. Many of those who arrived after the war came precisely because they looked up to Britian. In fact, extensive polling found that 93% of British Muslims feel a strong attachment to Britain, and over half want to ‘fully integrate.’
Moreover, Muslims broadly share the same views and priorities as the wider population. The idea of a ‘Muslim vote’ is something many muslims reject as a divisive myth. Similar to the wider population, polling done just before the election showed the NHS, economy, housing and immigration to be the top issues among British Muslims. The Israel-Palestine conflict was the top priority for only one in five.
The fact that immigration and housing are up there says a lot. My wife is from Leicester. She knows many IMMAMs. They have been complaining about mass migration for years. Many Muslim-dense areas around Leicester and Birmingham saw the highest proportion of Brexit votes. Two years ago, many blamed the Leicester riots on the shock rise in mass migration. Having lived peacefully for generations, the sudden influx of poorly integrated young men overwhelmed decades of social cohesion. Now they are furious as whole streets of much-needed houses are being bought up to house illegal immigrants and students – two groups who will contribute almost nothing to local authority finances or social services. What makes them particularly livid is that most had to work extremely hard and make enormous financial sacrifices to come to Britain. When they see the small boats arriving, they feel nothing but resentment.
Most pointedly, mass migration is hurting the reputation and cohesion of all British Muslims. Decent people, who have contributed for decades are being tainted by a new wave of low value and often criminal arrivals.
Let’s not forget that what started the riots was suppressed information giving way to disinformation. This is nothing new. For many years, a large number of European countries have been suppressing data on things like crime rates and economic contributions among immigrant cohorts. The Home Office is now joining in, trying to bury the very information we need to fix immigration.
For many years, a large number of European countries have been suppressing data on things like crime rates and economic contributions among immigrant cohorts. The Home Office is now joining in, trying to bury the very information we need to fix immigration.
Fortunately, Neil O’Brien MP has been single-handedly doing his best to help us out, and crusading for better data to lead the immigration debate. The good news is that many immigrants (especially those from Australia, America and France) do make the outsize economic contribution required to cover their costs. The bad news is that those at the other end mostly come from predominantly Muslim countries, such as Turkey, Pakistan and Iraq.
Moreover, because the Home Office will not provide the information, Denmark’s data on crime rates is increasingly used in the media. There, migrants representing just 14% of the population commit 29% of all violent crimes. But this is not an even problem. Western migrants actually have violent conviction rates 20% lower than the natives, whereas non-western migrants have 3.5 times higher conviction rates. Within that cohort, the problem migrants mostly come from ‘MENAPT’ countries: i.e. Middle East, North Africa, Turkey and Pakistan. Criminality among MENAPT migrants really is off the charts. For example, in 1992 Denmark accepted 321 Palestinian refugees. By 2019, 64% of them had a criminal record.
In short, many of those arriving from the Muslim world, (and particularly those entering illegally) are committing a disproportionate amount of serious crime and costing far more in public services than they are putting in. Ultimately, that hurts the lives and reputations of decent Muslims and honest immigrants.
Once again, IMAMMS should be demanding the Home Office use the data to stop the bad apples, and deport all the illegal arrivals. They are the biggest victims here. If we executed a credible solution to the small boats and used big data and AI to cherry-pick only the best immigrants, we could solve the crisis, grow the economy, and transform attitudes towards immigrants and Muslims.
Fortunately, IMAMMS already have a poster boy who is fighting to do just that. One of the few highlights of an otherwise painful general election was Zia Yusuf’s speech at Reform UK’s rally in Birmingham. The entrepreneur and Reform Chairman describes himself as a ‘British Muslim patriot’ who wants a “Grown-up discussion about immigration without name-calling.” How many millions share his sentiment?
If I were Nigel Farage or any Tory leadership candidate, I would be round the mosques and the Muslim communities, recruiting those millions of forgotten IMAMMs. They are ideal Conservatives: most came to the UK because they admired British traditions, they have socially conservative viewpoints and their communities are being trashed by mass migration.
If I were Nigel Farage or any Tory leadership candidate, I would be round the mosques and the Muslim communities, recruiting those millions of forgotten IMAMMs.
Just imagine if they protested side-by-side with flag-waving English Christians! The real far-right would be null and void. Meanwhile, tone-deaf Kier could no longer dismiss legitimate democratic voices. Presumably he would have to become three-tier Keir (cue a million wedding cake memes).
If we want to prevent decades of civil unrest, we need to openly debate mass migration and especially low-quality immigration. Not as a Muslim issue nor as a far-right issue, but as an imperative that unites us. The voice of IMAMMS could lead us all.
Author Andrew Hunt graduated from Cambridge with a Law degree in 2003. He worked in TV production before moving into finance. It was here that he became fascinated by how personal investors and small companies could turn negligible resources into enormous fortunes. Applying the same mindset and principles, Hunt was able to retire in his thirties. He now invests in interesting projects which aim to make the world a better place and runs a radical centre-right environmental think tank. He is also the author of Better Value Investing.
AFAICS the government does not want to control immigration. And it is the government. You Conservatives were unable to control immigration when you were in power. We need to adapt to the situation, where we must expect less civilisation, rather than rail against it which can only lead to cardiovascular disease. It is valid to ask why we should listen to you.