Cornish Social & Economic Research Group
» What CoSERG Thinks » Press releases » Embarrassment for a New Labour government that is playing the nationalist card
As the media-driven frenzy about immigration into the UK gathers pace outrage is expressed at statistics suggesting that more than half of new jobs over the past ten years have gone to immigrants. All very embarrassing for a New Labour government that is playing the nationalist card by banging on about British jobs for British workers.
Media pundits and government critics alike combine to demand ‘robust’ and ‘accurate’ statistics and government ministers agree that the great British public have a right to such facts. However, it might be interesting to speculate how the media would react to calls for Cornish jobs for Cornish workers. Would they be asking for ‘robust’ statistics that would tell us what proportion of new jobs in Cornwall have gone to in-migrants from elsewhere in the UK, a figure that is likely to be far higher than 50 per cent? Some statistics are apparently more necessary and available than others.