In an age where the scribble of a pen can repeal a law or statute, it can also condemn tens of thousands to starvation, the global political landscape is shifting with unnerving speed. The rise of nationalism, populism, xenophobia, and anti-immigration sentiment is no longer a fringe phenomenon—it is the new centre of gravity in many Western democracies. Internationally, it was there and gathering momentum preceding the ascension of Donald Trump and Elon Musk in the United States, it has catalysed a dismantling of progressive infrastructure: DEI programmes have been gutted, foreign aid slashed, and emergency food schemes terminated. The World Food Programme warns that these cuts are a “death sentence” for hundreds of thousands maybe even millions. In Africa, famine looms not as a natural disaster but as a political consequence and reality.
Meanwhile, war rages in Ukraine, and the Middle East remains a powder keg, with renewed violence between Israel and Palestine. France’s recognition of Palestinian statehood has further polarised the region, while the US imposes visa sanctions on Palestinian officials. These global tremors reverberate in Britain, where domestic crises compound the sense of national unease.
Brexit, once heralded as a reclamation of sovereignty, now appears as a pyrrhic victory. Polls show fewer than 3 in 10 voters would support it today. The cost of living crisis, energy insecurity, and stagnating wages have left swathes of the population in economic despair. The UK economy teeters between recession and stagnation5, with real wages squeezed and household debt rising. In this climate, populist figures like Nigel Farage and the Reform Party gain traction, offering simple answers to complex problems.
Social unrest simmers beneath the surface. Summer riots, knife crime, and the exhaustion of prison capacity paint a picture of a nation fraying at the edges. The scapegoating of immigrants—many of whom sustain the welfare state and fill jobs others refuse—has become a political reflex. But this reflex obscures deeper truths: underinvestment, poor planning, and political mismanagement.
This article seeks to explore the rise of nationalism and populism not as isolated phenomena but as symptoms of a broader malaise. It challenges readers to look beyond the convenient narratives and confront the uncomfortable reality that the cause may not be the outsider, but the system itself and those who’ve been implementing it.
The Politics of Blame
Britain’s Broken Mirror
Across the United Kingdom, families struggle to keep warm, feed their children, and pay their bills. The cost of living crisis has become a daily reality, with inflation outpacing wage growth and essentials like housing and food becoming increasingly unaffordable. Mental health issues are rising, savings are depleted, and debt is mounting. In this climate of scarcity, the seeds of othering and scapegoating has taken root firmly.
Rather than holding a mirror to themselves, politicians and the public alike reach for easy targets. Immigrants—often the most defenceless—become the target of blame. It is easier to point fingers than to admit policy failures. The welfare state, which relies heavily on immigrant labour and tax contributions, is stretched thin. Yet when benefits are squeezed, the narrative turns against those who help sustain it.
This selective outrage emboldens xenophobia and racial tension. It creates a climate where populist rhetoric flourishes, offering simplistic solutions to systemic problems. But the truth is more complex. Britain’s brokenness is not the fault of immigrants—it is the result of decades of underinvestment, poor governance, and economic mismanagement. Until all root causes are addressed, the cycle of blame will continue.
Multiculturalism and the Fraying Fabric
When Integration Fails
Multiculturalism, once celebrated as a strength, is now under scrutiny. In some areas, it has failed—not because diversity is inherently problematic, but because integration has been poorly managed. When the dominant culture becomes residual, resentment festers. Communities feel alienated, and the social fabric begins to fray.
Mass immigration, without adequate infrastructure or cultural cohesion, has led to the emergence of quasi-states within the nation. The pace of change has overwhelmed local systems, and the lack of geographic dispersal has concentrated tensions.
Tolerance must not become self-effacement. Diversity should enrich, not erode, core values. Immigration policy must be strategic, paced, and inclusive. Otherwise, the backlash will continue—not against the idea of multiculturalism, but against its execution.
Urban Pressure Points
Immigration and Identity in England’s Cities
Cities like Birmingham, Rochester, Manchester, Leeds, and Leicester have become focal points in the immigration debate. These urban centres have seen some of the highest levels of net international migration in recent years. Birmingham alone recorded a net migration figure of 24,235 in 2024, while Manchester, Leeds, and Leicester each saw increases of over 13,000. These figures reflect not just population growth, but also the strain placed on housing, education, healthcare, and public services.
In Birmingham, many migrants settle in inner-city areas such as Sparkbrook, Small Heath, and Handsworth. These districts are often ethnically diverse but also among the most deprived. The Index of Multiple Deprivation shows stark inequalities, with limited access to quality housing, employment, and education. While these communities contribute vibrantly to the city’s culture, the lack of investment and planning has led to overcrowding, under-resourced schools, and rising tensions and competition for the same pool of resources always does.
Northern Neglect
Immigration Without Infrastructure
The North of England has long been a recipient of immigration, but often without the necessary investment to support integration. Cities like Bradford, Sheffield, and Hull have seen demographic shifts that outpace their economic development. The result is a patchwork of communities struggling with poor housing, limited job opportunities, and overstretched public services.
Government policy has frequently prioritised dispersal—sending immigrants to areas with cheaper housing—without considering long-term sustainability. This has created pockets of deprivation where immigrants are blamed for systemic failures. But the real issue is not immigration itself; and I will certainly say again it’s the absence of strategic planning and investment. Without addressing these root causes, resentment festers and populist narratives gain traction. And if not addressed will only reassert themselves when any new leader takes power.
The Jobs No One Wants
The Backbone of the British Workforce
Immigrants often fill roles that British-born nationals are unwilling to take. From care work to construction, hospitality to agriculture, migrant labour is essential to the UK economy. In 2024, 19% of UK employees were adult migrants, with particularly high representation in health and social care. Over 111,000 care work visas were issued between 2021 and 2024, with many going to applicants from Nigeria, Zimbabwe, and India.
Despite this, political rhetoric continues to frame immigrants as economic burdens. The reality is that many sectors would collapse without them. The NHS, for example, has seen its foreign-born workforce rise from 11% in 2010 to over 18% in 2023. These workers often endure low pay, poor conditions, rank racism and limited recognition—yet they remain indispensable.
Beyond Two Dimensions
A Call to Minds and Hearts
The current climate cannot be understood through a binary lens. The issues outlined—from famine and war to domestic unrest and economic stagnation—are interconnected. Yet political discourse remains reductive, appealing to base instincts rather than intellectual rigour. Now is the time for thinkers, community leaders, and citizens of conscience to rise. We must reject the politics of division and demand accountability from those in power. This means investing in communities, fostering dialogue, and building bridges across cultural divides. The battle is not between native and foreign, but between truth and manipulation.
Hunger and Hierarchies
The Politics of Scarcity
Scarcity breeds tension, protectionism & resentment. When people struggle to feed their families, it becomes easier to vilify the “other.” Wealth inequality in the UK has reached staggering levels, with the richest 10% owning nearly half of all wealth. Meanwhile, food bank usage has soared, and child poverty remains endemic. This disparity fuels xenophobia. Immigrants are blamed not because they are responsible, but because they are visible – they often look different, dress differently or have different religions – therefore get singled out in the collective cultural imaginary. This is a short-termist and alarmist, a psychological coping mechanism—projecting frustration onto those perceived as intruders and outsiders. But hunger and lack of opportunities is not just caused by scarcity; it’s caused by inequality, maldistribution, political neglect and myriad of factors.
Farage and Reform
The Populist Surge
Nigel Farage and Reform UK have capitalised on public disillusionment. With the Conservatives in disarray and Labour struggling to define itself, Reform presents itself as the voice of the “forgotten.” Farage’s rhetoric—often agit-politics and inflammatory—resonates with those who feel abandoned by the mainstream political establishment.
Reform’s rise is not inevitable, but it is symptomatic. It reflects a vacuum of leadership and a hunger for authenticity. Whether Farage becomes Prime Minister or not, his influence is reshaping the political landscape, dragging discourse further to the right and forcing traditional parties to respond.
The Left Reimagined
Zarah Sultana, Corbyn, and the New Opposition
In response to the populist surge, a new left-wing movement has emerged. Zarah Sultana and Jeremy Corbyn have launched a party provisionally known as “Your Party,” aiming to reclaim progressive politics from centrism. With over 600,000 sign-ups in under a week, the appetite for radical change is clear.
This party challenges Labour’s identity crisis and offers an alternative rooted in community, trade unions, and social justice. It may split the left vote, but it also forces a reckoning: what does Labour stand for? And can it survive without embracing its ideological roots?
The Imaginary and the Media
Manufactured Moral Panics
The more attention we give to an issue, the more acute it often becomes. Media coverage can transform isolated incidents into national crises. The Summer Race Riots of 2025, sparked by misinformation about Asian “rape gangs” and the Southport murders by Axel Rudakubana, exemplify this.
The media’s role in amplifying fear cannot be ignored. Sensationalism sells, but it also distorts. Moral panics create feedback loops, where public anxiety fuels coverage, which in turn fuels more anxiety. Responsible journalism must resist this cycle and prioritise context over clicks, eyeballs and dollar.
Summary
A Nation at a Crossroads
Britain stands at a crossroads. The rise of nationalism, populism, and xenophobia is not an accident—it is a consequence of pernicious and gradual failure. Immigration is not the root cause of our problems, but it has become the lightning rod for public anger. To target immigrants is to fight a battle on one front while ignoring the war on many. While immigrants are being blamed we don’t focus on the existing structures that facilitated the country’s stagnation.
We must hold politicians to account, demand nuanced discourse, and reject the politics of fear. Immigration policy should be strategic and humane, but it must not become a proxy for deeper societal issues. The real fight is for truth, equity, and unity.
📊 Facts
- UK Net Migration (2024): 672,000 people
- Real Wage Growth: Negative for 7 consecutive quarters
- Food Bank Usage: Over 3 million emergency food parcels distributed in 2024
- Child Poverty: 4.5 million children live in poverty in the UK
- Reform UK Support: 34% in recent polls, surpassing Conservatives
- Your Party Sign-ups: Over 600,000 in under a week
- Southport Riots: 450+ sentenced, 93 officers injured12
🔗 Links
- UN Report on Global Hunger and Inequality
- Welthungerhilfe: Inequality Causes Hunger
- Real Food Media: Hunger and Democracy
- Metro: Farage and Reform Rise
- Express: Farage’s PM Ambitions
- Searchlight: Reform UK’s Electoral Gains
- Sky News: Corbyn and Sultana Launch New Party
- MSN: Your Party Gains 600,000 Supporters
- Express: Corbyn and Sultana Party Details
- Independent: Southport Riots and Misinformation
- The Skeptic: Rudakubana’s Ideology Debunked
- DISA: National Race Riots Overview
