Wherever you may look, whether it’s on social media, news networks or even within your local community, there seems to be an undeniable feeling of disdain and hatred, reflected by angry accusations, false news and far-right protests. Within a time of political uncertainty, where the UK’s recently elected Labour government already appears to be crumbling under pressure, many members of the British public are expressing their dissatisfaction with our country and its leaders. However, this unhappiness isn’t prompting productive change; instead, it is culminating into an overwhelming feeling of animosity across the country.
Although times of anger and uncertainty often leave many people feeling insecure and uncomfortable in their daily lives, many politicians use these moments to their advantage, capitalising on political tension to benefit their own agendas. Politicians often direct others’ hatred towards marginalised communities, using them as scapegoats to blame for the country’s most prevalent issues, such as the struggling NHS and the cost-of-living crisis.
A prime example of this is when, nearing the general election, Rishi Sunak made offensive comments about transgender people in an exchange with Labour Party leader Kier Starmer. Sunak accused Starmer of having a list of broken promises, one of which was his “defining of a woman” Sunak had previously stated that “a man is a man and a woman is a woman” and made further digs at Starmer, saying that he “still does not know what a woman is”. This exchange in The House of Commons occurred when the mother of transgender teen Brianna Ghey, who was brutally murdered as part of a hate crime, was present. Starmer himself criticised Sunak for his disrespectful and insensitive comments, saying that Sunak is “Parading as a man of integrity when he’s got absolutely no responsibility”.
Chiara Capraro, Amnesty International UK’s Gender Justice Director, condemned Sunak,saying, “Today was appalling, but it’s not an isolated instance. Sections of the media and politicians who’ve long indulged in fearmongering, disinformation and dehumanisation of trans people have been contributing to a hostile anti-trans climate”. Capraro’s criticism of both Sunak’s and the media’s use of the trans community to spark fear amongst the public is a direct reflection of how politicians will capitalise on the hatred of marginalised groups. Towards the end of his time as Prime Minister, in the hopes of winning back some political capital, Sunak chose to mock trans people rather than address his party’s shortcomings.
In 2022, when he was leader of the opposition, Starmer appeared supportive of the transgender community, telling The Times that “a woman is a female adult, and in addition to that, transwomen are women, and that is not just my view – that is actually the law”. Despite initially appearing supportive of the trans community, Starmer, now Prime Minister, seems to have followed in his predecessor’s footsteps. When asked if he still believes that transgender women are women, Starmer’s spokesperson said, “No, the Supreme Court judgement has made clear that when looking at the Equality Act, a woman is a biological woman”. After coming under fire from both the British public and other party leaders for underdelivering since his election last year, Starmer seems to be backpedalling on his beliefs. This is another demonstration of how politicians will use the hatred of marginalised groups to their benefit in order to deflect from their inability to deliver on their previous promises.
A party that is infamous for regularly sparking hate trains is Reform UK, a party that was founded in 2021 by Nigel Farage and Catherine Blaiklock. Farage’s party has dominated news headlines over the past few months, particularly regarding its stance on immigration. Throughout his political career, Farage has made his stance on minorities clear; when talking about the Westminster terror attack that occurred in 2017, Farage spoke to Fox News about a “fifth column living inside these European countries”, further stating that “if you open your door to uncontrolled immigration from Middle Eastern countries, you are inviting in terrorism”. Farage continues to express his negative, and often extreme, views on immigrants; since the general election in 2024, he has become continuously vocal about the topic, taking advantage of the current hostility towards immigrants and other marginalised groups in the UK. It is clear that Farage is taking advantage of the country’s current disdain towards Starmer’s Labour government, using this moment to capitalise on people’s anger and direct it towards immigrants; this tactic has boosted Reform UK to the top of the polls, with the party currently sitting at 32%.
The Tommy Robinson-led rally held in London on September 13th is a direct consequence of Britain’s tense political climate. Similar to Farage, the far-right figure, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, has continuously singled out marginalised groups, particularly Muslims. At the London rally, Robinson used fake news and fear-mongering language to spark anger amongst the crowd, shouting, “It’s not just Britain that is being invaded, it’s not just Britain that is being raped. Every single Western nation faces the same problem: an orchestrated, organised invasion and replacement of European citizens is happening”. Although Farage does not associate with Robinson, the two hold the same far-right ideologies, with Robinson stating that he believes Reform can win the next general election. Farage and his party are so centred on the anti-immigration rhetoric, blaming “small boats” for most of Britain’s problems, that they fail to provide policies that could resolve this country’s issues.
Politicians will always capitalise on times of hate and disdain, using the public’s anger to fuel their own agendas. Hate is a tool that enables politicians like Nigel Farage to lazily boost their campaigns, taking advantage of people’s outrage to mask their poor policies. In the current political climate, there seem to be polarising views on what the UK needs; with some blinded by their hatred, convinced that stopping immigration will end our country’s problems, whilst others are looking elsewhere, blaming ultra-wealthy individuals for Britain’s extreme wealth imbalance. With there still being almost 4 years to go until the next general election, it is important to pay attention to each political party and their policies, to see what else they promise to do for Britain other than targeting marginalised groups.
