Having a sensible conversation about Migration

Home Office Marketing and Media strategy

The Context

The politics of migration are inextricably linked to the politics of insecurity. The manifestation of these fears can be complex and disguised; concerns over public services, terrorism, jobs and international trade can all find an outlet in the politics of asylum and immigration. A successful marketing and media strategy therefore can only succeed as part of a broader drive to reassure, inform and, where necessary, challenge. In the modern media and political climate fears about asylum and immigration are lightening conductors for fears about the modern world, terrorism, job losses caused by the vagaries of global trade and the rapid movement of people and money that cheap transport allows. Such fears of course have important implications for community relations and the sense of solidarity or insecurity in many of our communities.

The last year has seen sustained progress in delivery on asylum reform. Applications are significantly down, processing of claims is more efficient, borders are more secure and more illegals are being removed.

Presentationally however this has not delivered a major dividend, reflecting the fact that the progress made was necessary to avert an even bigger political storm, rather than take us effortlessly into calmer waters.

The consensus remains among the British public, particularly those reading national newspapers, that immigration and asylum are 'out of control.' This is deliberately played into a strategy by Conservative supporting media to question the competence and integrity of the Government. Good asylum figures must be 'massaged' and the common refrain is 'we have lost control of our borders.'

Taking this on requires a multifaceted approach across Government which can get to the root of the peoples broader concerns about the modern world. For our part we have to start broadening the discussion and start painting a fuller picture which captures the positive benefits to Britain's economy and prosperity welcoming legal, working migrants.

In doing so we have to highlight the inconsistency of the right who are in favour of global trade and communications but stir up fear about the global labour which inevitably follows trade routes.

To achieve this we need to neutralise asylum by continuing to drive home delivery messages which stress competence and an overall programme of reform which is working.

Media context

Real progress has been made in reducing the media impact of asylum stories so they are no longer automatic front page tabloid material every time. The media largely accept that there has been a sustained fall in claimant numbers; broadcast footage in particular has been transformed from repeated images of people jumping on cross-channel trains to pictures of UK immigration officers refusing people entry to the UK from Calais, helping to communicate an impression of a system more under control.

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