It was with a splash that the classic Tory power pose made a return to newspaper front pages this morning.
Standing outside the Home Office Sajid Javid followed George Osborne, David Cameron and Theresa May in striking the awkward stance that is supposed to strike notes of confidence, determination and strength.
The underlying message was also made clear. Javid is here to end the hostile era for illegal immigrants, with promises of a policy overhaul on the back of the Windrush saga which he feels personally affected by.
The Daily Mail heralded it a victory for diversity in the country, asking of the appointment: “Could there be a more eloquent tribute to how far Britain has evolved into a diverse, meritocratic, multi-racial society?”
But a glance back over Javid’s voting record paints a much removed picture from the one the mainstream media would have you believe.
During his eight year stint as an MP, he has backed measures supporting Theresa May’s “hostile environment” for illegal immigrants with some gusto, voting for the government’s controversial Immigration Act in 2014 and consistently voting against a right to remain for EU nationals already in living in the UK.
Indeed, over the past few years alone he has:
Given his past record it’s hard to hold out any hope for the victims of the Windrush crisis or for the treatment of EU nationals after Britain’s split from the continent has been completed.
He is the son of an immigrant who turned his back on immigrants, and as May’s whipping boy it stands to reason that we will see more of the same from the Home Office over the coming years.
Same shit different minister, I suppose you could say.
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https://www.thelondoneconomic.com/news/sajid-javid-cannot-form-another-human-shield-for-theresa-may/30/04/