Andrew Scobie is a Spanish flu researcher, author and community councillor in Perthshire
Last year, Perth and Kinross Local Authority was designated a ‘Council of Sanctuary’ by the charity City of Sanctuary UK. As a Sanctuary Local Authority, PKC is committed to a clear anti-racist stance and supports those fleeing conflict, including those without recourse to public funds. It joins other Sanctuary Local Authorities in Scotland, such as Glasgow and Edinburgh, and has a proud history of providing refuge, notably to Polish nationals during the Second World War and more recently to Syrians.
Immigrants, including refugees and asylum seekers, are often scapegoated by far-right groups seeking to undermine human rights for personal gain. Figures like Nigel Farage and Stephen Yaxley-Lennon have spread disinformation, creating a false conflict between immigrants and local citizens over resources and community safety. They blur the lines between ‘legal’ and ‘illegal’ immigration, often exploiting the ongoing issue of small boats crossing the English Channel to further their agenda. As far-right narratives permeate mainstream politics, both the Labour and Conservative parties, although to varying degrees, have shifted their immigration policies to the right, which further fosters disinformation and anti-migrant sentiment. Locally, these narratives have resulted in increased aggression and violence against immigrants, even those who have long been naturalised citizens.
Recently, Perth City experienced two anti-migrant protests, including the Great British National Protest, targeting the Station and Queens Hotels, which house asylum seekers whilst the Home Office processes their applications. These protests attracted participants from extremist groups as well as from disenfranchised citizens who feel alienated and fearful.
Among their propaganda materials was a placard stating, “Perth is full, empty the hotels”.
Perth Against Racism, a non-partisan local group, organised counter-protests. These events have received support from various leftist groups, including the Scottish Socialist Party, the Socialist Workers Party, and Stand Up To Racism. SNP councillors from the current administration and SNP MP for Perth and Kinross-shire, Pete Wishart were also in attendance. Counter-protesters successfully dispersed the anti-migrant demonstrators outside the Station Hotel. However, another demonstration by the far-right is planned for the coming weeks. Countering the far-right is a shared responsibility across the political spectrum. While the left has taken a leading role in this fight, addressing disinformation — especially regarding myths about migrants and issues related to welfare and community safety — is crucial. Exploitative capitalists, not migrants, are responsible for the cost-of-living crisis, and scapegoating migrants serves only to distract from this reality. An independent socialist Scotland will work to tackle exploitation and create a fair immigration policy, welcoming those fleeing persecution as our comrades.
Image Credit: Geoffrey Skelsey, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
