What the public really care about

[PuzzledObserver]

I heard a piece on the radio the other giving a list of five priorities which the public - according to the politician speaking - care most about. High on the list was small boats crossing the channel.

Now - maybe just me - but I’d have thought that most members of the public have quite a few issues they are more concerned about than small boats crossing the channel, or even immigration more generally.

For example:-

• the cost of living, especially food and fuel prices
• NHS, including treatment backlog, difficulty seeing a GP, access to a dentist
• the state of the housing market - whether you are looking to buy or rent
• the (lack of) social care
• cutbacks in council services combined with increasing council tax

It seems to me that, for most people in the UK, those things have far more impact on their daily lives than people who are desperate enough to get here that they risk their lives crossing the channel in the small boat.

What do you think Government priorities should be?

The problem is that the persistent narrative from the govt and some corners of the press are that immigrants are responsible for the crises in the NHS and housing, so the issue can’t be so easily separated from the rest.

We've had this thread before I'm sure or a very similar one. Illegal immigration is a problem for all the reasons listed.

People entering the country on small boats is not illegal immigration if they are seeking asylum.

Well they have fucked up most of the things listed so are left to talk about one thing they can still target

It’s a great distraction from the destructive policies of this Government isn’t it? Tell the public it’s the fault of desperate asylum seekers, and convince the public that everything will be rosy if the boats stop.

Sadly many people are stupid enough to swallow it.

Maybe they mean this is what swing voters are concerned with.