Greens lead the way as useful idiots on immigration - Iain Whyte
Those of us who are old enough to remember the Cold War may also remember the phrase ‘useful idiots’. Coined post war, it referred to intellectuals, journalists and activists who promoted Soviet propaganda.
Nowadays it more accurately describes naive people or groups manipulated to advance a ruthless political agenda while believing they serve a noble cause.
This week’s council meeting saw the proposal of a far-left, ruthless political agenda when the extremist Greens ignored public concern about migration, specifically illegal migration, and proposed that the council stop cooperating with the Home Office on immigration enforcement.
The SNP joined them. No surprise, as many of their councillors are of the same far-left approach and they can be relied upon to support anything attacking the UK Government in aid of their independence goal.
What was disturbing was the approach of the Lib Dems. Faced with a suggestion that the council should condemn “migration raids” and UK Government policies on immigration they capitulated. Labour councillors were expected to do the same but at the last minute found the gumption to support their own Government’s policies.
The truth is that most migration raids are focused on illegal working, a crime that needs to be tackled because it often damages the vulnerable workers involved, with crimes ranging from exploitative work practices to human trafficking and modern slavery, often undertaken by serious, organised crime groups.
One retired senior police officer took the time to write to me this week to explain the implications.
He had been a firearms commander and explained that just one joint operation he had been involved with alongside national agencies had targeted over 50 business premises across Scotland.
The top tier criminals involved had access to firearms, and their importation, in addition to their links to people trafficking.
There are some other raids. These aim to deport the few who it has been decided don’t qualify for Leave to Remain or to deport foreign criminals.
The extremist Greens want to defund the police, do away with prisons, legalise or ignore the harms of hard drugs and have an open borders approach which would mean no checks on foreign criminals or terrorists entering the UK.
I consider that combination an attempt to fundamentally destroy our safety and way of life. We Conservatives rejected that approach out of hand. By failing to join us to block it the Lib Dems exposed themselves as modern useful idiots.