How David Cameron and Nigel Farage are making children fear immigration

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/may/25/how-david-cameron-and-nigel-farage-making-children-fear-immigration-muslims-asylum-seekers

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Now that Nigel Farage has seen off the threat from those who questioned his right to do whatever he likes with Ukip, and the PM has thrown off those Lib Dem shackles, they can go back to what works for them – stirring up trouble about immigration. We know the point of Ukip is to take Britain out of the EU – but no one on the doorstep is bothered about that. Farage’s genius was realising that he could get much more bang for his buck by focusing on immigration.

We know, too, that the PM has many more things to think about. But past promises have made him look silly, and immigration catches the ear, so like Farage, he bangs that drum. And what a success it has been. By harping on, making ample use of that whacking great loudhailer loaned to them by the media, the pair – and others who should know better – have distorted reality. Things are not what they are, they are as they seem. Inevitably, there are consequences.

Consider what we learned last week from a survey of 6,000 schoolchildren by the group Show Racism the Red Card. There was consensus that racism is to be deplored. But also a startling level of hostility to asylum seekers and Muslims. And why so? Without doubt, because of a dizzying amount of misinformation about the state of the nation – things as they seem to be.

That is why the surveyed children thought the percentage of foreign-born people in the UK was 47%, when it is more like 13%. Why they thought the number of Muslims has reached 36%, when it is about 5%. Almost certainly the distorting mirror convinced the 49% who said migration is out of control, and the 31% who thought “Muslims are taking over England”. Confronted with this vision of demographic and cultural apocalypse, the pupils were understandably pessimistic about their own futures, with 40% predicting that they would not earn enough to have the lives they want.

It’s not all bad. Once Show Racism the Red Card presented pupils with the facts, they became less alarmed, less pessimistic.

Still, as the government lauds its latest immigration bill, this shows the importance of perspective. The public is concerned, and politicians must reflect that. But what we sow, we reap.