OPINION:
Over a million Union Jacks and English, Welsh and Scottish flags unfurled across the United Kingdom over the weekend. The ongoing displays of patriotism counter to the Labour government’s position that foreigners are more important than the native born.
What’s happening in Epping put a nationwide spotlight on that stance. Residents of the small market town were furious to learn their taxpayer dollars pay the rent for 138 aliens who’ve been relaxing at the Bell Hotel since April, when troubles began.
One hotel occupant was arrested for arson, another for assault. Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu was charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old schoolgirl, a mere 8 days after he hopped off a tiny boat from Ethiopia. Considering these unvetted refugees are housed down the street from a school, residents are understandably concerned for their children’s safety.
The locals obeyed the rules and registered their disapproval peacefully. They petitioned the town council for redress, and their representatives responded favorably. The council determined that the conversion of a hotel for public use into a long-term residence for single, male non-citizens should have gone through the planning commission approval process.
A High Court judge in London approved Epping Forest District Council’s request to send the migrant center inhabitants packing. Council Leader Chris Whitbread blamed the Labour government for its recklessness in stoking the crisis.
“Home Office policy ignores the issues and concerns of local residents that the council represents. Today we have made a step towards redressing the imbalance and showing that local people do have some say, whatever the Home Office thinks,” he said in a statement following the ruling.
The thrill of victory didn’t last long, as an appellate court reversed that opinion last week. A three-justice panel agreed with the government and declared the rights of the asylum seekers trumped the rights of the people of Epping.
That’s not going to go over well with the electorate. Already, the public is itching to dump Keir Starmer, even though he has been prime minister for just a year. In a BMG Research poll released last week, Labour had the support of 20% of respondents.
Nigel Farage’s Reform party scored 35% and Conservatives posted a mere 17%, thanks to the Tory failure to repel the invasion of third-world migrants when it was in power. If accurate, those figures show Mr. Farage is likely to move into No. 10 Downing Street if an election is called.
Last month, Mr. Farage released his plan to “deport illegal migrants in the United Kingdom, and to deter any future build-up by demonstrating that unlawful presence now has an iron-clad consequence: swift removal.”
That would be good for the safety of the British people. According to Eurostat, the rate of sexual assaults has doubled and tripled in permissive immigration countries like England and France over the past several years. Poland, which rejected loose immigration policies, has seen its crime rate drop.
In response to the cries for help to prevent despicable attacks on girls, Mr. Starmer on Wednesday said he’d ban minors from buying Red Bull while staying silent about the predations of the foreign grooming gangs.
“I won’t shy away from decisions to protect kids, even if there are the predictable cries of nanny state,” he wrote on X. “We’re stopping shops from selling high-caffeine energy drinks to under 16s, so they can turn up to school ready to learn.”
No wonder his days are numbered.
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