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Tuesday 5 May 2015

Bennett: Only Greens are standing up for migrants

Green party mug launched after controversial Labour immigration mug

Natalie Bennett, Green Party leader, has delivered a passionate defence of migrants, at the Kurdish Community Centre in Haringey. Ms Bennett's comments come as her party hits the campaign trail for the last few days before the General Election. Bennett spoke alongside Green Party MEP Jean Lambert.

Natalie Bennett, who was born in Australia but is a British citizen, began her speech by saying: "I'm standing here today as a migrant, as someone who came to this country and chose to make my life here. And today I'm here to take a stand against those who seek to demonise me and those like me for making that choice."

During her speech in North London Natalie Bennett confirmed her party has announced plans to end immigration detention, and change immigration rules which mean that only those with a salary above £18,600 can apply for spousal visas.

Ms Bennett criticised the Labour Party for failing to stand up for migrants. She said: "It was Labour's lack of backbone that proved just how far our politics has been infiltrated by anti-immigrant rhetoric. Rather than standing up to Nigel Farage and his chums, Labour wilted. Rather than showing real opposition, they have adopted a harsh rhetoric - proudly pledging their plans on banners and merchandise to 'control immigration'."

Bennett's heartfelt speech saw her pledge to "never blame migrants for failures of government policy, or the greed and fraud of the bankers". She ended her speech with a rallying call to potential Green voters. She said: "At this election the open and caring Britain I am so proud to be a citizen of is at stake. Our tolerance, our welfare state and our beloved NHS are under threat from a Tory Party hell-bent on rebuilding Britain to work only for the privileged - and a Labour Party unable and unwilling to effectively challenge them.

"So, in the next three days I know that our candidates up and down this country will be focused on providing the real opposition we so desperately need. We'll be fighting for a truly public NHS, we'll be saying loud and clear that in the sixth richest country on earth no one should need food handouts to survive, and we'll be boldly and unapologetically standing up for migrants." Ms Bennett added.