Send Them Back to Their Countries?

Photo by the Author, Extract from the St Lucia Slave Census 1938, located at the National Archives at Kews.

I have been trying to stay out of British politics. I have stopped watching news programmes and buying newspapers. I am completely disillusioned with the main political parties in the UK. I will be voting to exercise my democratic rights. Most people I know feel the same way, and many are not going to bother to vote.

Today, I was drawn into a discussion that I really did not want to get drawn into. In response to an article in Medium, the writer wrote the following response: “To many people living here (In the UK) who are not British. Below is my response to this statement:

Yes, John, where do you draw the dividing line? Is it for anyone whose grandparents were not born in the UK? Do you repatriate all the income your ancestors earned from slavery and colonialism, which is valued at 18 trillion dollars?

Maybe your ancestors should have stayed away from other people’s land. Also, should all expats be sent back to the UK?

Also, which countries do you include and exclude in your expatriation? Do you also believe that there will be no political or economic repercussions?

Do you realise that the Qatari own Canary Wharf in London and vast chunks of Mayfair? The Battersea development is owned by a Malaysian, and Vauxhall is owned by the Chinese, as are countless developments in London and…