The National Debate
The narrative on immigration in the English press is sucking the air out of critical issues relating to nature and climate that need our national attention.
Excellent article from the Guardian recently: What do the immigration figures for the UK really show? (Guardian, 15 Sep 2025)
Everyday, the UK mainstream media puts a story about immigration in the news. It’s sucking attention away from the catastrophic mismanagement of the climate crisis and the collapse of nature that threatens our ability to support ourselves everywhere, regardless of the passport you hold.
It’s self-fulfilling. The real story shows a different picture.
One can be forgiven for wondering if this distraction is on purpose. Not everyone should feel passionate about the same things. A functioning media in a robust democracy is there to inform and provide the means to debate. So where is the debate?
Immigration is a symptom, let’s debate the real causes.
Immigration is good for the economy (through skills and tax receipts) and our culture (through diversity and shared understanding). Let’s debate how we can integrate and support good, hard-working people without feeling threatened by them.
“In terms of overall earnings, the Migration Observatory found that the immigrant earnings grow quickly – the median non-EU immigrant worker in 2024 earned similar or slightly more than the median UK worker.”
But most of all, let’s put this in perspective against the existential threats to our very existence. Climate change will displace billions in decades to come. Food shortages will create famine. Water shortages will cause wars. The tragedy is that we have the opportunity - today - to course correct. But only if we can keep a disciplined focus on the policy agenda and treat the real issues with urgency.
The message to our political representatives and national media - stop using immigration as a distraction. Whether or not you think - in your professional opinion - that it is a topic people want to read and talk about. You are directly contributing to the destruction of our planet and species by running the clock down.
