Invitation & Background reading
Rev Dr Keith Brindle Jan 15, 2026
Robert Jenrick’s defection from the Conservative Party to Reform is not just another Westminster reshuffle. It marks a further step in the normalisation of far-right ideology under the guise of being “centre-right”. In his speech announcing the move, Jenrick returned again and again to a single theme: that Britain is “completely broken” – and that immigration is the primary cause. In the course of the speech, migrants and migration were framed negatively more than twenty times. Crime, social change, pressure on public services, loss of national control, even the safety of women and children were all laid at the feet of people who have come to this country from elsewhere. This is not serious diagnosis. It is scapegoating. To point at migrants and say “this is why Britain is broken” offers an easy target and avoids accountability. It also creates a dangerous moral shortcut: once a group is presented as the cause of national decline, they can be treated as less deserving of dignity, protection, or compassion.
More or less – The stats of the nation, immigration
– Recent trends in migration. After Brexit, a trippling of net no of people coming to the UK. Prior 200,000 went up to 900,000, then government restriction on study visas, back to 200,000.
4 categories
– Work labour
– Students
– Business
– Family
– Asylem/Refugee
Biggest reasons work and study. Most likely to stay are family.
Economic difference between different types. eg Skilled work visa will have positive impact on public finances, other end refugees who struggle in the market, if they work in low wage jobs. Overall, difficult to find stats. But total impact on public finances has been relatively small. However, more recently less favourable as with a higher proportion of asylum seekers who struggle most in the labour market.
ILR – Indefinite Right to Remain.
Most people arrive on Temporary Visa, usually for up to 5 years
If meet criterior apply for ILR,
Citizenship next step.
How many people have ILR? Difficult to find data. Non EU 6-800,000 = 1% of UK population. Does not include EU citizens. 4 million people granted in post Brexit scheme.
How many people in UK illegally? 2017, estimated high 000,000.
Asylum seekers
Number of people claiming asylum has increased 5-10 years, record last year, 2025
Largest number arrived small boats.
Slightly smaller number arrived on work/study visa and then applied for asylum.
The problem is the backlog
90,000 asylum applications (relating to 110,051 people) in the UK in the year to September 2025 (Refugee council) The top five countries of origin of people seeking asylum were Pakistan, Eritrea, Iran, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.
45,183 arrived small boats
– over half of small boat arrivals were from just five nationalities: Eritrean (17%), Afghan (13%), Iranian (11%), Sudanese (10%) and Somali (8%)
– 42,664 claimed asylum
– 23,094 of those people (51%) are still waiting for a decision on their asylum claim.
When people get refused, they have a right to appeal, created a new backlog. 50,000 in courts currently. Government trying to stream line this decision making
Don Disproportionately more regugees asylum seekers rape women and are violent.
- Nottingham Jan 2026
- What is it with asylum-seekers in Britain and their apparent inability to restrain themselves?
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