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| So, who is behind these immigration reports? | So, who is behind these immigration reports? |
| (12 days later) | |
| When we consider the diversity of our great nation, we can choose to view the glass half full or half empty. The figures are the figures are the figures. What dictates the effectiveness of our debate is the interpretation and the tone. | When we consider the diversity of our great nation, we can choose to view the glass half full or half empty. The figures are the figures are the figures. What dictates the effectiveness of our debate is the interpretation and the tone. |
| With that in mind, let's look at a big story last week, triggered by the Sun. And let's not dismiss the Sun; it is the nation's biggest-selling newspaper. | With that in mind, let's look at a big story last week, triggered by the Sun. And let's not dismiss the Sun; it is the nation's biggest-selling newspaper. |
| "The ethnic majority," said the main headline. "White Britons will be in the minority in UK," said a subsidiary headline. "Britain will be most ethnically diverse nation," said another. The intro said: "BRITAIN will be the world's most ethnically diverse western nation after 2050, a bombshell study has found." It went on: "The report's author says foreigners and non-whites living here will DOUBLE by 2040 — to make up a third of the UK. He has even controversially claimed white Brits will be a MINORITY by 2066. Professor David Coleman said: 'On current trends European populations will become more ethnically diverse, with the possibility that today's majority ethnic groups will no longer comprise a numerical majority.'" | "The ethnic majority," said the main headline. "White Britons will be in the minority in UK," said a subsidiary headline. "Britain will be most ethnically diverse nation," said another. The intro said: "BRITAIN will be the world's most ethnically diverse western nation after 2050, a bombshell study has found." It went on: "The report's author says foreigners and non-whites living here will DOUBLE by 2040 — to make up a third of the UK. He has even controversially claimed white Brits will be a MINORITY by 2066. Professor David Coleman said: 'On current trends European populations will become more ethnically diverse, with the possibility that today's majority ethnic groups will no longer comprise a numerical majority.'" |
| For balance, the paper quoted Don Flynn of the Migrants' Rights Network and Sir Andrew Green of the campaign group beloved by the right, MigrationWatch. "No cause for alarm," says Flynn. "This is hugely important," says Sir Andrew. | For balance, the paper quoted Don Flynn of the Migrants' Rights Network and Sir Andrew Green of the campaign group beloved by the right, MigrationWatch. "No cause for alarm," says Flynn. "This is hugely important," says Sir Andrew. |
| One, this is not much of a "bombshell". Coleman outlined much the same vision in Prospect magazine three years ago, a version of which appeared in the Telegraph, Mail and in the Sun. Two, it's useful to know a bit more about Coleman – professor of demography at Oxford University and a member of the controversial successor to the Eugenics Society, the Galton Institute. He was also co-founder of MigrationWatch, later described as an advisory consultant. What have been the cultural benefits of migration, he was once asked. "Rather difficult to specify beyond a wider range of ethnic restaurants for the middle classes and new kinds of pop music for youth," was his reply. | One, this is not much of a "bombshell". Coleman outlined much the same vision in Prospect magazine three years ago, a version of which appeared in the Telegraph, Mail and in the Sun. Two, it's useful to know a bit more about Coleman – professor of demography at Oxford University and a member of the controversial successor to the Eugenics Society, the Galton Institute. He was also co-founder of MigrationWatch, later described as an advisory consultant. What have been the cultural benefits of migration, he was once asked. "Rather difficult to specify beyond a wider range of ethnic restaurants for the middle classes and new kinds of pop music for youth," was his reply. |
| None of which invalidates his right to number crunch and take a view. But the Sun could have mentioned it. Certainly, the Migration Observatory, which commissioned the work, could have flagged up the author's past links to MigrationWatch. Tone and context; both important. Or the glass will always seem half empty. | None of which invalidates his right to number crunch and take a view. But the Sun could have mentioned it. Certainly, the Migration Observatory, which commissioned the work, could have flagged up the author's past links to MigrationWatch. Tone and context; both important. Or the glass will always seem half empty. |
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