Commentators, to left and right, have been quick to pounce on ‘Bigotgate’ as proof of a profound gap between politicians and the ordinary voter in this election. Labour in particular, they say, has failed to recognise the discontent in its own heartlands about immigration.
But no-one can seriously claim Labour has not talked about immigration in this election. In both of the leaders’ debates, there has been a clear ‘tough line’ consensus on the issue, with only the Liberal Democrats risking a rare show of tolerance with proposals for an amnesty for illegal overstayers.
No, all politicians have a bigger difficulty here. Immigration is not an isolated issue; it is directly connected to jobs, education and housing. In a recession, with falling employment, pressure on public services, and a real shortage of affordable housing, sensitivity to outsiders who appear to increase pressure on already inadequate resources is bound to be sky high.
But, of course, bigotry plays its part in the immigration debate, not necessarily on Gillian Duffy’s part – she began to complain about the flood of Eastern Europeans but was then distracted – but certainly by the BNP and the thousands drawn to vote for them. And in this tightly fought election, there are tragically few in mainstream politics who are prepared to challenge it.
The combined impact of these two elements - the legitimate resentment felt by many heartland voters at scarce resources and growing inequality, and the role of racism and prejudice in responding to social and economic problems – is the key to the momentous proportions of yesterday’s gaffe.
After thirteen years at the helm of power, it is impossible for Brown not to take the rap for the first; with Labour now riding third in many of the polls, he simply dare not publicly challenge the second.
The oddest part of Brown’s back of the car growl (which incidentally, for all its obvious irritation, revealed a far more relaxed and authentic sounding Prime Minister) was surely his instant assessment that the exchange was a disaster. It wasn’t. It was a bruising, honest encounter, that he handled well enough.
How much better then if he had found a way to both courteously and robustly counter the prejudice that, in his opinion, Gillian Duffy appeared to display rather than so disastrously vent his frustrations later.
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