The party sees its harsh policies as politically necessary. But what happened to talking up the value of migrants for a thriving economy and society?
This is how Labour MPs see it. They face brutal dilemmas and miserable choices. How to manage our asylum system is one of the worst. Through their constituency work, they will have met refugees with tragic stories of war and fear, of terrifying journeys across the world, of gangsters on night-time beaches. But MPs’ experience of hearing those heart-rending stories clash head-on with what they see as political necessity, demanding they block their ears and harden their hearts. A life in politics is not for the squeamish.
Wes Streeting, a practising Christian, yesterday writhed while answering questions on LBC radio about the home secretary’s tough plans for deterring small boat arrivals. The flavour of his reply reflected how many on Labour’s benches feel. Confronted with the government’s intention to deport more families with children – ending what Shabana Mahmood said was feeble “hesitancy” – he sought a bogus escape by claiming many would leave voluntarily, making forced removals “low”. But when pushed, he said yes, removals must be enforced. Was he comfortable with that? “Honestly? Comfortable? No. But is it the right thing to do for the country? Yes.”
Polly Toynbee is a Guardian columnist
