'Heavy handed, crass and blatantly political' says Virendra Sharma

The Ealing Southall Labour MP, Virendra Sharma, has condemned the governments' current immigration campaign calling it "right wing 'dog whistle' politics of the worst kind."

Home Office billboard vans with the message "Go Home or Face Arrest'' have been spotted in King Street, Southall.

UKBA officers were outside Southall Station and in the Town Centre stopping residents ( Friday 1st August) and checking on their immigration status.

The campaign has led to many protests and Virendra Sharma has expressed deep concern saying it has ''racist overtones."

He said:

"This has very little to do with catching illegal immigrants and is all about engaging in Lynton Crosby inspired right wing 'dog whistle' politics of the worst kind in the run up to the local, european and general elections to make the Tories look tough on immigration.

''There is ample intelligence for the Home Office not to have to engage in publicity stunts like these in order to catch illegal immigrants.

''This is heavy handed, crass and blatantly political and I am deeply concerned. The van billboard message has racist overtones and along with the stops outside the station creates a climate of fear and division.

''Many of my constituents have complained about the UKBA checks and they and I are very angry about what appears to be racial profiling. By making checks on local residents entering the station it makes the whole population suspects.

''I have lived in this country for over forty five years and as a proud British citizen I am incensed by what is being done. This is not the British way and is more akin to apartheid South Africa than modern multicultural Britain."

6th August 2013