Certainly it has been a positive by-product of this tragedy that there has been more debate and exposure of the real lives of thousands of migrant workers in this coun try, living on below-poverty wages, housed in places that the word slum does not do justice to and at huge risk of death or serious maiming.
But there certainly has not been enough discussion about the real solutions to this situation.
On February 27, the government gave support to a backbench bill introduced by Labour MP Jim Sheridan that will mean the statutory licensing of "gangmasters", though the details of this are not finalised as we go to press
Such an approach, of limited managed migration also lies behind the final decisions on how to respond to European enlargement and the fact that from May I, thousands of workers from the former Eastern block will have the right to come to Britain and to work here.
The government has been keen to suggest that its approach on this question is more "liberal" than that of other European countries. In most of the rest of Europe, eastern European workers will need work permits, while in Britain they won't - but will only be allowed to come if they have jobs to go to. The difference therefore is technical rather than substantial. T this is no surprise to anyone who
understands that central to the construction of the European Union has been the whole racist notion of "Fortress Europe" and that integral to the notion of a two-tier Europe. recognise as reality bites. over the asylum issue.
•• project of expansion to the east is the
sive prejudice in many
This was not the myth that was sold to parts of the former workers in the acceding countries when they were asked to vote to come in but it is the the Czech Republic. In reality that increasing numbers will come to
At the same time as arguing the economic jokes and discrimination. case for managed migration, that "the economy", ie the profit levels of cowboy capitalists, will benefit from an inflow of workers from countries where the standard of living is lower than in Britain, the Blair government has also been happy to continue to encourage popular racism as it has continuously
With regard to Eastern Europe, they have vigorously. made little secret of the fact that they are pandering to racism against the Roma people. The Roma face masEastern bloc, especially in Britain they are on the receiving ends of racist
The left needs to respond more strongly to these developments. The Chinese community, and a number of religious organisations mourned the deaths in Morecambe Bay. Tony Woodley spoke out.
But the global justice movement, antiracist organisations and the left as a whole needs to take up these issues much more
We need to argue that only in a world without borders can we stop the iniquities denies his role as that led to their murder by the system. We can only achieve decent standards of living for workers in one part of the world if these cannot be undercut by cheaper labour from elsewhere.
We can only call ourselves socialists and fighters for justice if we understand that every person must have the same basic rights, to a decent income, food, shelter health and education where ever on the planet they are born.