Immigration

Immigration, those on the right of the political spectrum would have us believe, is the key issue facing the UK in the run-up to a General Election. However, it's not - it's 3rd on the list, if the respected polls are correct, which I have no reason to doubt.

However, I have no doubt it's the No.1 issue for a self-selecting poll of readers of the Express, Mail, Spectator and Telegraph, who are noted for their views on foreigners.

Imagine a scenario where Ukraine loses its war against Russia, which is becoming increasingly more likely as time drags on, the West's patience becomes drained and we become increasingly democratically incapacitated. There would be a massive outflow of Ukrainians as refugees. Many of whom would choose to come to the UK.

Now, I would imagine that those on the right would have no issue with these refugees, if numbers are capped to a substantially lower number than the remainder of European countries, despite the UK not having committed boots on the ground. However, simultaneously, they do not want refugees from regions where we have indeed put boots on the ground and given support far in excess of that given to Ukraine - indeed, to the extent of lives.

If this were to happen, and I see signs that it would, it would mean the right would only accept refugees from culturally similar regions. There's a name for that and it's on the tip of my tongue...

The government's attempt to dominate the narrative on refugees has worked. They started calling refugees arriving by boat illegal migrants, which they most definitely are not if they present themselves to the relevant authorities on arrival. The mainstream media has succumbed and now regularly refers to the boat people as illegal migrants. Why don't they get some balls?