We can all see what the underlying idea here is but it does sound remarkably fascist, authoritarian, doesn’t it? Only companies which display GoodThink will be allowed to sponsor people to be come immigrants. Roughly, that’s what Javid is saying here. And I, for one, think such ideological status tests stink, stink to high heaven.
[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Organisations that fail to uphold British values to be barred from recruiting foreign workers[/perfectpullquote]Entirely true, we’d prefer not to allow BackPackBombsRUs to be recruiting their live demonstration models from Peshawar. But insisting upon values is a terribly difficult precedent:
[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””] Organisations or companies that fail to uphold “British values” will be blacklisted and barred from recruiting foreign staff in a Government bid to counter extremism. The move, unveiled by Sajid Javid, the Home Secretary, is designed to disrupt groups suspected of stirring extremism, prevent them from bringing in like-minded recruits from abroad and stop them potentially radicalising young workers. [/perfectpullquote]What are those British values? Polly might claim that abortions for all are – meaning no Catholic organisation may import foreign workers. Owen might insist that equality is – therefore no fruit farmer can have low paid pickers.
That is, the moment we’ve an ideological litmus test we’ve got to start wondering whose and what ideologies. History not telling us that we end up only excluding the violent thugs.
McDonnell might insist that support for capitalism is unBritish – bang goes all those foreigners in The City. Certainly we can imagine some BDS types arguing that Orthodox Judaism is anathema thus no Rabbis allowed to come in and take over flocks.
No, once the law is based upon ideas rather than acts then we’ve crossed that line from that desirable rule of law to rule by ideologues. Not a happy time for those being ruled often enough.
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Javid is of course just politicking and raising his profile, no doubt he would like to remain (not in the EU?) but in the cabinet, just a few days ago he even praised Nigel Farage.
This policy proposal is more than a bit fascistic as well as being unworkable and as such it is not only fraught will real dangers, it is to use British vernacular, bloody silly and Javid is a plonker.
This could be turned into a useful Catch-22 if it was considered against British values to import labour when it is available here..
Oh, and it occurs to me that the EU is currently the guardian of values, and it is their values which would have to be paramount in this ridiculous proposal. I don't like rules where subjective moral judgments will decide who gets to do what.