Progressives must see the common ground between refugees and the precariat and press for holistic compassionate action

The Calais 'Jungle' is to be broken up, with its ten thousand inhabitants to be dispersed to smaller centres scattered throughout France. Photograph: Calais Jungle on 17 January 2016 by Malachy Browne (License) (Cropped)

Immigration returns to the headlines today, across Europe, as the French Government sets about the final break up of the Calais 'Jungle' camp (Chrisafis et al, 2016). After what is now years of being the last stop for refugees headed for Britain, the camp's inhabitants are to be dispersed in small groups to smaller processing camps scattered right across France.

For Britain's Conservative Government, seeing the Jungle broken up means showing some sort of progress on crude pledges to tackle migration. For the French Socialist Government it means breaking up the most visible of symbols of immigration that Far-Right parties twist into provocation.

The desperation of the French Socialist ministers to avoid provoking the Far Right speaks to the deep trouble progressives are having with the issue of migration. In the UK, the Labour Party became so desperate during the last election campaign that they virtually wholly swallowed anti-immigration rhetoric and produced a commemorative mug to prove it.

The truly progressive position on migration is to take an internationalist view. To see people in a broad, humanitarian way that rejects the sectarian thinking of nationalism - that degrades people by categorising them into those for who we can and cannot care, shutting out the world that lies beyond narrowly defined and jealous borders.

From the internationalist perspective, there are two facts. First, there are a large number of people displaced and facing homelessness and absolute poverty. And second, there is another large number of people who live precariously and see danger in an influx of more poor people on their life chances and opportunities.

For an internationalist, that is the state of things across the whole of Europe, not the unique problem of any one country alone. Whichever administrative division they may be found in, both matter and both must be addressed with care.

One thing that is notable is the absence of any particular effects upon those more well to do and secure. Therein lies an implication that a commonality exists between the two groups, the precariat and the refugees. Both find themselves caught between the hammer and the anvil: extremism and war on the one hand, and an exclusionary economic system on the other.

Embracing the sectarian, nationalist and conservative approach of dividing people, particularly the poor, does nothing but force them into competition with each other for basic dignity. That is inhumane - and doesn't even solve the problems. Instead, it just moves the problems around, pushing them into the shadows or handing them off to someone else.

Progressives must fight the divisive pitting of the precariat against refugees, and dispel the idea that refugees are being cared for at the expense of the precariat. An holistic vision that alleviates the pressure on both groups is essential.

In all of this, respect for the dignity of refugees and the precariat is imperative. Exclusion has bred fear and that has to be fought with hope. The first step in that is compassion - reaching out, listening and offering positive steps that are inclusive and respectful.

References

Angelique Chrisafis, Lisa O'Carroll & Caroline Davies' 'France begins operation to clear Calais refugee camp: Steady stream of buses leaves port town as authorities aim to clear 3,000 adults and children from camp on Monday'; in The Guardian; 24 October 2016.

Yvette Cooper, Clare Moseley, Hassan Akkad and Patrick Kingsley's 'What does the closure of the Calais camp mean for the refugees? Our panel discuss: Demolition is under way, but with no clear plan for those people currently living there, nor those who may follow, what should happen next?'; in The Guardian; 24 October 2016.

Zoe Williams' 'Europe isn’t just about trade. It’s about humanity too: As the Calais refugee crisis makes clear, there’s more at stake in our EU negotiations than access to markets'; in The Guardian; 24 October 2016.