Reform are a Racist Party

I share the concerns expressed at a recent Stand Up To Racism gathering in Cardiff that the racism in Reform’s politics has been downplayed. Reform’s obsession with immigration ahead of the Senedd elections when immigration policy isn’t devolved has received too little attention.

To explore this question further, I asked Cardiff Stand Up To Racism campaigner Kwabena Devonish to respond to some questions.

Q: Can you say why reform are a racist party and why you think racism is being downplayed?

A: Racism is the central feature of Reform UK politics. Whenever they talk about housing, the NHS or even education they manage to somehow link it to immigration as the reason for their decline. Reform also used Islamophobia to fearmonger people into the idea that the British way of life is under attack. Farage has continually said that Muslims are trying to dominate British culture and how they are opposed to British values. This creates an environment of fear and suspicion which can make people easier to manipulate.

Racism is downplayed by the rest of mainstream politics because racism is embedded in the system and used by those in power. Throughout history, whenever we have been in an economic or political crisis, governments have used migrants as scapegoats to focus people's anger away from the real problem. Reform UK takes this to the extreme and has dragged British politics further to the right. This now means that derogatory language around migrants is being shielded as ‘legitimate concerns’.

Q: Can you explain how dog-whistling works and can you describe the impact of Reform’s racist dog-whistling on people you know and have spoken to?

A: I think the biggest dog whistle we're seeing right now is the conversations around patriotism. Those who call themselves patriots often are of the view that anyone who is not white isn't Welsh, that Welshness is something that's innate and only for people who were born in Wales and whose families have lived in Wales for generations.

Patriots have a narrow-minded view of Welshness but also perpetuate an idea of resource scarcity, so that they have to defend what they have against other people who are taking from them. The people they refer to as taking from them, ironically, are never the people who have second homes in rural parts of Wales. They are never the “investors” who buy up companies and then shut down factories in Wales. It’s more often the migrants who have come here and want to earn an honest living like the rest of us - that’s who they mean. When they say ‘Welsh homes for Welsh people’ or ‘Welsh jobs for Welsh people’, that is what they mean. The words are to exclude and to demonise others to protect the little you have.

As a young black woman who was born and raised in Cardiff with friends and family who were born here and have migrated from different parts of the world, Wales is our home just as much as anyone else's. Rooting Welshness in whiteness is complete nonsense and ignores the vibrant and diverse history of Wales. On anti fascist demonstrations I would have fascists shout at me: “are you even Welsh?” I know that this question  was based on assumptions made because of the colour of my skin.

In reply I would say “Ydydch chi’n siarad Cymraeg?” which would make them incredibly angry to the point where they would storm off. (Must say, I love this!)

We could all use arbitrary measures to determine whether someone is Welsh or not. Many people in Wales don't speak Welsh, yet that doesn't make them any less Welsh. Our identities shouldn’t be policed by anybody.

Q: Do you think growing casual racism is down to politicians normalising it?

A: Most definitely. Kier Starmer's ‘Island of Strangers’ speech did incalculable damage to the political climate here in Britain. He gave a green light to all the far right and fascist thugs who have been rioting outside asylum accommodation, signalling that what they were doing was right and just. The collapse of the political center has left a chasm that the right are trying to fill. Parties like Labour that were traditionally centre or even centre left are now fighting for votes from the right by capitulating to racist rhetoric. They say they are addressing the concerns of ordinary people all while conveniently ignoring the war crimes Britain is involved with or the cost of living crisis pushing people into poverty.

Q: It’s not just reform that seeks to dehumanise migrants, politicians from other parties do it too. What puts Reform in the same bracket at the rest of the far right, as opposed to the others?

What sets Reform UK apart from other politicians or parties who also demonize migrants is that Reform are completely opposed to any form of diversity and inclusion in society. Leader Nigel Farage has said that if Reform UK gets into Westminster, they would scrap the Equality Act 2010 on the first day. This would leave millions of black and brown people, migrants, women and those with disabilities disadvantaged in the workplace, education and housing.

Farage has also said that, if he gets into government, Reform will set up an immigration force modelled on the brutal US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) force. This would not only be a violation of people's human rights but could also have deadly consequences that Farage and his party are fully aware of.

Q: What are the shoots of hope for a Cymru free of racism, bullying and bigotry?

The hope for Cymru is the people of Cymru. The people who came out and stood against fascists outside the hotel in Rhoose that housed displaced Afghan families, the people who came to speak out against racism at the Together march in London at the end of March. Nine coaches went to London from Wales on that day to be a part of Britain's biggest anti racist demonstration. The thousands of people across Wales who have protested against the genocide in Gaza and callled out the UK goverment for it’s complicity. The people who have and are continuing to join the campaign against Reform UK, delivering thousands of leaflets, speaking to people on stalls, in their workplaces and local communities. This is the hope of Cymru.

Q: Final comments?

A: As Trump's war on Iran continues, like every other crisis that comes out of the logic of the capitalist system, we as working class people are made to pay for it.

People know that times are hard and things are difficult here in Wales and across the world but many if not most people are refusing to blame others who are also struggling. I think a lot of people are looking for a real alternative within politics. An alternative that is progressive and fights for a better future for everybody. More and more people are getting active and organised.

We must use this momentum to build grassroots movements on the ground that can hold those in power accountable and can push through real change in society.