Immigration, Brexit and COVID-19: the future of multicultural Britain

Immigration, Brexit and COVID-19: the future of multicultural Britain by Dr Neli Demireva 

Immigration stands high on the public agenda throughout Europe. It played a central role in the 2016 Referendum and continues to dominate Brexit debates. Leave campaigners and several British politicians have blamed migration for undercutting pay and conditions of white British workers in the UK. This perception of migrants undercutting working conditions or taking up resources, such as health care or subsidized housing, in communities already facing adversity has been linked to anti-immigrant feelings and a sense of alienation among majority populations in Europe. It has been assumed that in the face of an aging population in many western societies, immigration can only contribute to the labour force. Yet, perceptions in local communities challenge this narrative of success and question the integration rate of different communities.

Migrants are much more likely to work in low pay jobs with low autonomy than majority members and the second generation. These are indeed jobs in which workers are less likely to work from home, and which are more vulnerable to job cuts. Occupational health risks have been explored in individual countries and recent research has underscored the over-representation of migrant low-skilled workers in a number of key occupations essential for the fight against COVID-19 across European countries.

This talk will focus on the contribution that migrants have to the UK society, and discuss the future of free movement but also of the multiculturalism project in light of the British government’s response to Covid19 and the recent BLM protests.