Racist attitudes on the increase. No surprise!

YouGov poll reveals 46% of people think they are racist

In recent British history there was, in a manner of speaking, all of about five minutes when the global banking industry was duly held responsible for the near collapse of many western economies including the largest collective economy in the world, the 28-member states that make up the European Union.

What followed afterwards saw the most draconian austerity measures across the EU. The likes of which have not been seen for decades. Here, the Government’s own National Audit Commission has calculated that in the UK alone the banking crises have cost us 955 billion pounds.

For most of us figures greater than a billion pounds become difficult to comprehend: two billion, ten billion 100 billion, all becomes like playing super monopoly. However, to try and make sense of the astronomical figure of 955 billion we can say that it is more than a third of the UK Gross Domestic Product - a GDP level which is one of the highest in the world by a huge margin.

Another way to explain it would be to compare it with the annual budget for the NHS which is around 135 billion pounds. Multiply that by six, and we’re close to what the banking crises has cost the UK. Interestingly, to date, and in spite of the million pound fines that the banking industry has paid to insider dealing, casino-style gambling, and price fixing, only a small handful of bankers have gone to jail. I think the maximum sentence was given to Kweku Adoboli who is a Ghanaian-born British trader, then working for UBS.

So, after the fleeting accountability laid at the banker's doorstep, including the unfulfilled promises of banking reform, the effects of the crisis and the blame quickly and dramatically shifted to those who least deserve it.

As the nation states ability to use the public coffers to spend on public services radically changed, jobs were lost and services were cut. We’ve all seen it, we’ve all felt it. The UK Government here has sought to cut public spending by tens of billions of pounds. A dramatic amount to many frontline services, but still a fraction of what the banking meltdown caused.

But what has almost gone unacknowledged, much less dealt with, is who has really got the blame for millions of ordinary people feeling economically squeezed: Migrants and Black and Minority Ethnic communities.

For anyone taking a cursory look at the media in general, it has been migrants and Black and Minority Ethnic communities who in general have been the undeniable scapegoats for the UK's deep austerity measures.

First we had the rise of the BNP, then the EDL, both organisations and their leaders were given national platforms and legitimacy on the BBC and beyond.

‘We must listen to their concerns’ we were told by politicians and commentators. Eventually they were seen, as we had seen them all along; as racist thugs, but the damage had been done.

Then we witnessed the rise of Ukip, -the respectable racist party-, and once again the mainstream parties, instead of challenging their not so subtle bigotry, pandered to it.

The negativity and hostility towards the immigrant, which to the majority means the all East Europeans and all those who are not white, regardless of whether we are British or not, began to shockingly rise.

Almost every day in the last 6 years you could find an anti-immigrant story. Half truths and sometimes down right lies splashed across tabloid front pages in a drip, drip of racial dislike and discord.

As a nation we reached an all time low, last summer with the coalition Government’s ad vans telling immigrants –illegal ones of course- to ‘Go Home’. This was coupled with high profile raids in BME areas such as Walthamstow and Southall. White migrant areas such as Kensington, or Earls Court, were left untouched.

Nick Farage couldn’t believe his luck. He could now reap the rewards of the wretched BNP, the EDL, and the somewhat cowardly Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, and New Labour, all pandering to the anti-immigrant sentiments. Racism, albeit in a pin stripe suit, sipping a pint of beer in the pub had just become mainstream and ‘respectable’.

And now within a week, the not so unsurprising result has shown that one of the most powerful nations in the world just had a popular vote won by a nasty, xenophobic political party masquerading as Democrats. And perhaps even more shocking is the fact that nearly 50% of the British people subscribe to having racist attitudes, a percentage which is even higher than those who voted for Ukip.

That it is frightening and shocking is an understatement! With such alarming figures should we worry about what the neighbors really think of us and our children?

But what now? Above all we need leadership, bold leadership that seeks to write a new narrative that is more honest and above all one that is more hopeful. With greater honesty, we can actually highlight who and what caused the problem in the first place, and thus stop the demonisation of migrants and minorities, many of whom do the nations most demeaning jobs for the least amount of money.

Furthermore, we must positively confront how we get out of this economic stagnation. A change of narrative would mean that instead of focusing on blame, we would find ways to unleash the nation’s talents, many of whom are not working, but who would with a little enterprise, equality and hope.

Truth is if you look past the deluge of race and religious hatred spewed out in much of our press, you’ll find the untold stories that the creative engine for entrepreneurial Britain resides with minority communities, particularly small to medium size businesses. In part this is due, because our brightest minds struggle to get well paid jobs either in the private or in the public sector. As a result we look to start our own businesses.

But imagine more business enterprise, more investment and financial support for entrepreneurial BME small businesses.

Have no doubt that racist attitudes will change when our leaders start behaving like leaders and stop following the snake charmers such as Nigel Farage.

Unleashing the UK’s potential as a dynamic multicultural society, not only defeats the politics of hate and discord, but it also ensures we’re all better off, financially, culturally and spiritually too.

Simon Woolley