Thread by @AndrewPRLevi

Powerful journalism from @EdMcConnellKM. Highly recommended.

The hate runs deep.

But it’s a minority.

One to which power-hungry, amoral politicians run, when they think it might be to their advantage.

A 🧵/1.

kentonline.co.uk/kent/news/27-p…

It has been going on for decades. No less ugly & contemptible in 2001 than in 2021. /2.

https://twitter.com/AndrewPRLevi/status/1465693874936942595

Talking of the narrow, perceived advantage which makes the eyes of certain politicians become round with fear & excitement, this recent poll of 2019 Conservative voters explains a lot of recent government behaviour. /3.

The highly visible Channel crossings issue, & some reactions to it, don’t reflect majority attitudes to refugees & immigration. An overwhelming majority of the UK public supports the right of refugees to asylum here. And negative attitudes to immigration are in the minority. /4.

https://twitter.com/andrewprlevi/status/1464672520095903744

Much received wisdom suggests that Chancellor Merkel’s humanitarian decision, in 2015, to allow hundreds of thousands of refugees (or potential refugees) into Germany, was an error. Yet German support for refugee asylum remains high. Have a look at who has how many refugees. /5.

https://twitter.com/BylineTimes/status/1463122532849143808

There are racists & xenophobes in Germany. As in the UK.

There’s narrow political advantage to be obtained & there are votes to be chased in Germany. As in the UK.

What matters is whether our leaders are up to the job. Or are racists & xenophobes. Or their apologists. /6. End

Thank you to @Otto_English & @AnthonyGlees for highlighting the @Kent_Online article highlighted in tweet 1.