Words are weapons

Since 2012, the UK has enforced what became known as the “hostile environment”, a set of measures designed to make life difficult for people arriving in England, seeking asylum.

Rather than supporting integration, the system has created barriers at every step. A backlog of asylum applications has left tens of thousands of people in limbo; many are housed in poor-quality accommodation with no alternatives. They are banned from working and face strict limits on benefits, food, support, education, and even free secondary healthcare. 

Continuing the hostility, we have become increasingly comfortable talking about migrants in derogatory terms. Inflammatory, performative language used by politicians and some media outlets – “swarms”, “invasions”, “illegals” – are now part of public, everyday rhetoric.  

These terms are misleading. Only 1% of the 27.1 million refugees who are displaced across the world have arrived in the UK. In 2024, 58% of initial Home Office decisions on applications for asylum resulted in the grant of refugee status or some other form of protection. This means that the government acknowledges that people’s claims for sanctuary are often real and legitimate.  

This language – “illegals”, “swarms”, etc – has also legitimised and normalised discriminatory attitudes. Race equality thinktank, The Runnymede Trust, issued a report analysing more than 63 million words from 52,990 news articles and 317 House of Commons debates on immigration between 2019 and the general election in July 2024. It showed that there was a pattern of “hostile language” in news reports and UK parliamentary debates, more likely to describe people of colour as immigrants, or with less sympathy than white counterparts.  

Language – “illegals”, “swarms”, etc – has also legitimised and normalised discriminatory attitudes.

This language is coded. It reinforces racial stereotypes, whilst building on colonial narratives that repeatedly positioned people of colour as outsiders – as ‘other.’ Fuelled by politicians and media outlets that routinely scapegoat asylum seekers, it appeals to a warped sense of patriotism and an inflated, strangely enduring sense of British exceptionalism.  

Recent protests demanding that refugees “go home,” signs calling for “no more boats,” and the surge of flag-themed street art demonstrate that these ideas have successfully seeped into the national consciousness. Yet when challenged, right-wing supporters and protesters routinely state that they are anti-immigrant is not an issue of race. Their views and actions are commonly all in the name of defence – the protection of women and children from predatory foreign men, to preserve an eroding British culture, to stop job opportunities from being taken away from English people.   

When challenged, right-wing supporters and protesters routinely state that they are anti-immigrant is not an issue of race. Their views and actions are commonly all in the name of defence…

It’s a response calculated and relied upon by those at the top. The Runnymede Trust report describes the “Racist discourse from the highest levels of UK society, including politicians and the media, is used to frame immigration as an existential threat to the British way of life … this works to justify ever more hostile immigration policies.”  We are watching it play out. Flag-covered protesters outside of hotels housing asylum seekers, emboldened by decades of increasingly restrictive legislation targeting non-white populations (see the recent Windrush scandal), attacking those who are not from here. 

Inequality sits at the heart of our politics. Our systems – immigration, especially – give dignity and value to some lives while denying it to others. In England, this endures through the notion of ‘birthright’ – the idea that where, to whom, or in what circumstances a person is born can dictate their rights, freedoms, and opportunities. 

Our history has long equated birthright with entitlement, embedding it into laws and policies. It’s deeply ingrained and remains so; birthright not only lets leaders avoid taking responsibility for inequality, but it also benefits many of us. It does so through politics and practices that marginalise or dehumanise entire groups of people.  

Our systems – immigration, especially – give dignity and value to some lives while denying it to others.

For those on the receiving end of this kind of discrimination, extensive research has shown that ongoing exposure to racism – whether through direct slurs and aggressions or through systemic barriers – can have profound effects on someone’s health and wellbeing. This increased risk of early mortality, anxiety, depression, and even post-traumatic stress.  

Data for England states that people seeking asylum are estimated to be five times more likely than the general population to need mental health support, with six in ten experiencing serious distress. Given that many refugees arrive from countries scarred by war, repression, or violence, this is hardly surprising. What doesn’t make sense is how their trauma is then compounded here in the UK, through racism, discrimination, and exclusion.  

As an organisation that works with migrants and displaced people, we are acutely aware of the challenges that those from these communities face. Our vendors often have experienced discrimination. They regularly report being challenged on their right to sell the magazine or hearing accusations that they are “exploiting the system”. Many are subject to racist abuse. 

Racism and discrimination in all forms strips people of dignity and humanity. Whether aimed at asylum seekers, migrants or others, the effects are the same: isolation, exclusion, ill health, and barriers to wellbeing.  

Challenging these perceptions and fighting for equity is one of our focuses. It forms a large part of the work that Big Issue North does – communicating our purpose and challenging opinions that can really damage people. Racism and discrimination in all forms strips people of dignity and humanity. Whether aimed at asylum seekers, migrants or others, the effects are the same: isolation, exclusion, ill health, and barriers to wellbeing.  

John, a Manchester-based vendor, puts it plainly: “We are human beings just like everyone else and we’re trying to survive – that’s it.” 

The Big Issue North Trust supports the rights of all people to a sufficient independent income. We believe that everyone has the right to improve their life. If you agree, please show your support by signing our pledge, giving to the Big Issue North Trust, and sharing with your friends, and help us to help people experiencing discrimination.