The UK’s Labour party appeals to Poles to vote in the European elections and see off the nationalist threat.
One of the largest of the UK’s trade unions, Unison, and the Labour Party are encouraging Poles who live in Great Britain to take part in elections to the European Parliament.
They claim Polish voters will help prevent the far-right British National Party, which stands against immigration, from entering the European Parliament.
Critics, however, claim that the Labour Party is desperate for any votes it can get as it languishes far behind the opposition Conservative Party in the polls.
Yesterday British trade unionists and politicians met in the House of Commons with Polish organizations, including Poles to Polls, Poland Street and the Federation of Poles in Great Britain to discuss the participation of Poles in EP elections.
European Minister Caroline Flint urged Polish nationals to register to vote in the European elections. She warned that the British National Party (BNP) is using the elections to try and stir up anti-immigration sentiments among the electorate.
“Polish people have contributed their skills to our economy, paid taxes and worked hard here, so we should respect them,” said Flint and added that Poles and the Labour Party have a common aim.
Greg Thompson from Unison, the second largest trade union in the UK, gave three reasons why Poles should vote in the EU elections. In his opinion, they should enjoy their rights as European Union citizens, oppose the BNP, which wants to get rid of immigrants, and show the British how influential they can be.
Thompson described the BNP as a party which propagates hatred, questions equality among people and creates divisions. “If the BNP wins, Great Britain will no longer be in the EU, and Polish immigrants will no longer have the right to work here,” warned Thompson.
In the discussion, Labour Party MP Andrew McKinley mentioned former PM Tony Blair, who opened the British market for Poles in 2004. McKinley remarked that immigrants have gained from the New Labour government as it introduced the minimum wage and the monitoring of recruitment agencies.
Both McKinley and Thompson defended Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who used an expression “British jobs for British workers”, later adopted by the BNP. According to them, the British Prime Minister meant providing job opportunities for the British, not depriving Polish immigrants of their work places, as the BNP wants to.
Gordon Brown’s government was recently polled the most unpopular in history. According pollsters this suggests the New Labour "brand" has become so tarnished under Brown, that even his most popular policies do him no good. On the eve of the EU elections the Labour Party tries hard to regain popularity and seeks votes also among immigrants. (mg/pg)