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Sunday, May 01, 2005

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International - India & World

Indian voters in Leicester oppose immigration

Hasan Suroor

Despite an anti-immigrant mood, no takers for Conservatives There is considerable resentment, cutting across communities, that the Government is ``dumping'' asylum-seekers

LEICESTER: In a city of immigrants, the last thing you expect to hear is an anti-immigrant rant from people who, themselves, have been victims of xenophobia. Yet, that is precisely what you hear from Indian and Pakistani immigrants here. Parties, canvassing for next week's general election, are being constantly asked what they plan to do to stop further influx of foreigners.

``Except for their own dependants, they don't want anyone else to come in,'' says an Asian Labour leader.

Outside Masjid Umar in the heart of the city, an agitated Gujarati Muslim accosts the sitting Liberal Democrat MP from the area, Paramjit Gill, and asks: ``What are you going to do about these people? I mean these illegal immigrants who are taking away our jobs.''

Eijaz Ahmed, a self-employed builder who came to Britain in 1979, says that ``too many'' people are coming into the country that, he claims, is ``not good'' for settled communities. A traditional Labour supporter, he voted for the Liberal Democrats in last year's by-election that brought in Mr. Gill. But this time, he says, he may not vote for anyone.

Surprisingly, Mr. Ahmed's is a typical view in a city where ethnic minorities — mostly from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh — account for nearly 40 per cent of the population, and the landscape is dotted with temples, mosques and gurdwaras.

``We have 32 temples, 27 mosques and five gurdwaras and in 2010, Leicester will become Britain's first Asian majority city,'' says Keith Vaz, the veteran Labour MP from Leicester (East), poised to win a record fifth term to become Britain's longest-serving Asian parliamentarian.

He confirms that it is true that the settled immigrant communities ``do not want more to come in.'' Yet, ironically, the same people constantly seek his help in bringing their own family members, particularly spouses, into Britain.

``Some 90 per cent of those who come to me have immigration-related problems,'' Mr. Vaz points out.

There is considerable resentment, cutting across communities, that the Government is ``dumping'' asylum-seekers on Leicester. ``Yes, it is an issue with voters,'' says Mr. Gill struggling to defend a wafer-thin majority in Leicester (south).

But despite a strong anti-immigrant mood, there are no takers for the Conservatives who have the toughest line over immigration. Indeed, Labour already looks home and dry in two of the city's three seats with Mr. Vaz and Patricia Hewitt, a Cabinet Minister, set to retain their seats. In Leicester south, which has a large Muslim electorate, the Labour is facing a ``backlash'' over Iraq but the party candidate, Peter Soulsby, claims that Iraq alone will not decide the outcome. Even Liberal Democrats acknowledge that things have changedand Labour could scrape through this time. Either way, it will be a photo finish.

In areas, with more Hindu and Sikh voters, Iraq is not an issue, which explains why Mr. Vaz and Ms. Hewitt are having an easy ride despite the fact that they openly justify the war. Mr. Vaz insists that there are many ``overlapping'' concerns, which transcend communal affiliation. The fear of the "foreigner,'' for instance?

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