Birmingham Fair Housing Campaign (UK) brings together people affected by the housing crisis in Britain to fight for housing justice. We are alarmed that our politicians are scapegoating migrants for the problems in our society. This racist rhetoric is false, dangerous and a distraction. Let's all stand together against racist rhetoric and policies in the UK. We call on civil society organisations, faith organisations, trade unions, campaigns and individuals to sign our statement below which we intend to delivered to the Prime Minister:

To the Prime Minister

We, the undersigned organisations and individuals, stand in unyielding solidarity against the divisive rhetoric used by you in your recent speech on immigration, where you suggested that the UK was at risk of becoming an "island of strangers". Such language fuels xenophobia, scapegoats migrants for systemic failings, and sets a dangerous precedent, fostering a climate for racism and racist attacks to flourish. We stand united against such harmful narratives and call for a politics rooted in truth, compassion, and equity. 

Dispelling the Myths: The UK and Immigration.

The claim that the UK is overrun by migrants is demonstrably false. The UK is home to approx. 1% of the world’s refugees[1]. In 2024, the UK received 84,231 asylum applications, ranking 17th in Europe per capita. This is a fraction of the numbers received by countries like Germany, which processed 319,710 applications. The UK’s asylum acceptance rate is among the lowest in Europe, highlighting the disconnect between rhetoric and reality. 

The Real Crisis: Decades of Underfunding

The challenges facing our public services stem not from migration but from consecutive governments’ decisions to underfund essential sectors:

• Housing: The UK has consistently failed to meet its housing targets. According to Shelter, social house building is at its lowest rate in decades. In the 1960s, 1.24 million social homes were built compared to 150,00 in the 2010s[2]. Shelter estimates 90,000 social rent homes need to be built each year, for 10 years, in order to meet demand. The lack of social rent housing is forcing those that cannot afford to buy a home into expensive private rented accommodation. In addition, assertions that migrants disproportionately occupy social housing are misleading and harmful. Government figures confirm that 90% of social housing in Britain is occupied by British nationals, and 82% by white people[3]. 
• NHS: In an attempt to privatise the NHS through the backdoor, consecutive governments have deliberately underfunded the NHS and issued contracts to private health care providers. There has been a real terms cumulative underspend of £423billon since 2009/10[4]. Since 2010, staff vacancies have reached record levels, with over 110,000 unfilled positions in 2024 alone. According to the British Medical Association waiting lists have increased due to real term cuts. 
• Education: According to the National Education Union’s ‘Stop School Cuts Campaign’, 14 years of chronic government cuts means that 70% of schools in England have less funding in real terms than in 2010[5]. This has led to subjects being cut, support staff being made redundant and school facilities left to crumbling. In addition, class sizes in the UK are amongst the highest in Europe. 
• Welfare: The UK is the 6th richest country in the world, yet people are going without the basic essentials. According to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, more than 1 in 5 people in the UK (21%) were living in poverty in 2022/23 – 14.3 million people[6]. Austerity policies have led to a £37 billion cut in welfare spending between 2010 and 2020, leaving millions in poverty.

Economic Inequality: The Rich Get Richer

While public services crumble, the wealth gap in the UK has widened significantly.  Research by Joseph Rowntree[7] reveals that the richest 1% of households hold nearly 23% of the nation's wealth, while wages for the poorest 20% of workers have stagnated or declined in real terms over the last decade. Tax policies favouring the wealthy have exacerbated these inequalities, leaving working families struggling to make ends meet.

Scapegoating Migrants: A Racist Diversion

Rather than addressing these root causes, politicians are scapegoating migrants to distract from their own failures. This tactic is inherently racist. This rhetoric fosters division, dehumanises communities, and creates fertile ground for racist attacks. Racially and religiously motivated hate crime has jumped from 86,310 in March 2019 to 110,147 in March 2023 – an increase of over 27% in just 4 years[8], a chilling reflection of the damage caused by inflammatory political narratives. Instead of competing against racists to win votes, we urge politicians to address the underfunding of our essential sectors.

Our Call to Action

We demand that political leaders:

1. Stop racist scapegoating and take responsibility for the systemic issues you have perpetuated.
2. Invest in the NHS, housing, welfare, and schools to build a society where no one is left behind.
3. Stand against hate and use your platforms to unite, not divide, our communities.

A Better Path Forward

The UK’s strength lies in its diversity. Migrants contribute immensely to our economy and society, filling critical roles in sectors like health and social care, education, and hospitality. We call on all leaders to embrace a politics of hope and solidarity, building a future where no one is scapegoated for systemic failures, and every community can thrive.

We will not stand by as racism is normalised in our politics. We reject the politics of fear and division, and we reaffirm our commitment to an inclusive, fair, and compassionate society.

 
[1] https://www.refugeecouncil.org.uk/stay-informed/explainers/the-truth-about-asylum/
[2] https://england.shelter.org.uk/support_us/campaigns/social_housing/loss_of_social_housing

[3] https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN06397/SN06397.pdf[4] https://www.bma.org.uk/advice-and-support/nhs-delivery-and-workforce/funding/health-funding-data-analysis
[5] https://schoolcuts.org.uk/
[6] https://www.jrf.org.uk/uk-poverty-2025-the-essential-guide-to-understanding-poverty-in-the-uk
[7] https://www.jrf.org.uk/narrative-change/changing-the-narrative-on-wealth-inequality
[8] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/hate-crime-england-and-wales-2022-to-2023/hate-crime-england-and-wales-2022-to-2023#:~:text=Hate%20crimes%20are%20a%20subset,ending%20March%202023%20%5Bfootnote%203%5D