Boris Johnson says migrant workers are 'welcome'. It's so hard to believe him

Why would workers want to come back when, even in recent months, the Conservatives have pursued their anti-migrant agenda?

At a recent government briefing, Boris Johnson was asked by Italian journalist, Marco Varvello, about potential migrant workers hoping to come back to the UK.

“Tutti benvenuti,” Johnson replied.

Commentators were quick to point out the irony that the Italian phrase, meaning “everyone welcome”, largely contradicted the anti-migrant stance Johnson had publicly taken since the 2016 Brexit referendum.

Going back to December 2019, we saw Johnson and the Conservatives storm to an 80-seat majority off the back of a campaign built upon nationalist rhetoric and patriotic bluster. “Get Brexit done” was often shouted over any other semblance of political discourse. The Conservatives promised to “Unleash the potential of our whole country” and stem migrant influx through an Australian-style points system. Johnson doubled down on the demonisation of EU nationals when, during the election campaign, he suggested they have treated the UK like “their own” country for too long.

Six months later and the UK is a very different place. Brexit, after dominating discussion for years, is scarcely mentioned. The country is instead afflicted by the effects of a deadly pandemic. Daily government briefings inform us of the consistent and tragic loss of life, as well as the likely economic recession to follow. For many – and judging by last week’s comments, for Johnson – priorities and sentiments have changed.

Despite all this, Johnson’s apparent change of heart appears to stand in stark contrast with the continuation of anti-migrant rhetoric from his government.

The foundation of the Conservative’s election victory aside, Priti Patel’s subsequent condemnation of EU workers under a certain pay bracket for being “low skilled” didn’t exactly scream “everyone welcome”. The government’s celebration of the recent immigration bill which would end freedom of movement also cemented their disdain for EU association and the potential contribution to our economy by EU workers. And then there was Johnson’s reluctance to remove the immigration health surcharge for NHS workers from the EU and beyond who had done so much for the UK during the onset of a pandemic.

Anti-foreigner sentiment has been rife in recent history.

In 2018, we witnessed the Home Office’s grotesque approach towards the Windrush generation. Before that, the implementation of the hostile environment sought to dramatically reduce immigration numbers in line with the 2010 Conservative manifesto.

The political tone has also changed with the rise of right-wing, nationalist figures such as Nigel Farage, Katie Hopkins and Paul Golding, all coming to prominence on a wave of anti-EU populism and media campaigns in the build-up to the Brexit referendum.

For all the patriotic bravado that encapsulates Johnson’s government, we are weaker alone, physically, economically and in other ways. The government’s decision to go into lockdown long after our European neighbours and the poor handling of the coronavirus crisis have led us to the highest death toll in Europe, the daily total of the UK on 3 June exceeding all other EU nations combined.

The “Pick for Britain” campaign which sought to get British workers to replace EU fruit and vegetable pickers was also met with a meagre response, with EU nationals reportedly being flown in to fill the jobs that British people refused to do.

With the continuity of nationalistic jingoism, anti-EU sentiment and the revelation of the government’s ineptitude in the midst of a crisis, one question remains. Why on earth would migrant workers want to come here?