Enough is enough: Confronting hate and division on our streets
As the Member of Parliament for Liverpool Riverside, I am proud to represent one of the most diverse, welcoming and compassionate communities in the country. Ours is a city built by waves of migration and shaped by solidarity. That is why I cannot stay silent as far-right agitators, fuelled by lies and hate, target asylum seekers and whip up violence on our streets.
Last summer, we saw the terrifying consequences of this politics of division. Hotels housing asylum seekers were attacked, bricks were thrown, fires were started. Families who had already fled war and persecution were scared for their lives once again. These were not ordinary people standing up for their communities. They were thugs emboldened by extremist rhetoric and years of political scapegoating of migrants.
A recent investigation into last year’s riots revealed something deeply troubling: over 40% of the men arrested had previously been reported to the police for domestic abuse. That fact alone should make us stop in our tracks. Violence in the home and violence on the streets are connected. These are not protectors – they are perpetrators. And let us be clear: the men women need protecting from are the ones standing outside asylum hotels pointing the finger at asylum seekers.
The far-right has always tried to exploit women’s safety, peddling the lie that migrant men pose a unique threat, often describing them as “fighting aged men”. But the truth is starker: one of the greatest dangers to women and children comes from within our own communities, from men who abuse and control in their own homes, and who now seek legitimacy through far-right movements. That overlap should be a wake-up call for government and police alike.
For years, sections of the press and successive governments have deployed the language of invasion and swarm, treating asylum seekers as a problem to be contained rather than people deserving of dignity. That language has consequences. It creates the conditions where hate flourishes and violence becomes normalised.
The weaponisation of social media also continues to twist tragedy into opportunity. Tragic events are being cynically exploited to stoke unrest and direct anger at asylum seekers. Lies spread faster than the truth, and billionaire-owned platforms have implemented algorithms that promote and exploit fake news. Politicians too must recognise their responsibility: every word matters, and every dehumanising phrase hands ammunition to extremist behaviour.
And if anyone still doubts who stands behind these movements, just look at Reform’s own elected MP, James McMurdock. This is a man convicted for violently assaulting his girlfriend – kicking her repeatedly before being locked up. Reform’s deputy leader, Richard Tice, defended his actions and claimed he would pass the party’s vetting process despite his conviction. McMurdock has since been mired in scandal over Covid loans. This is who the far-right are putting on their benches: abusers and opportunists masquerading as champions of the people. They point fingers at asylum seekers to distract from their own violence, their own corruption, their own contempt for women and working people. These are the real faces behind Reform – and the country needs to wake up to it.
Liverpool knows how to respond. Just days ago, our city centre was the stage for a UKIP protest, met by a powerful counter-demonstration. Despite a heavy police presence, 11 arrests were made for violence and disorder. But the overwhelming message from our communities was clear – majority of people in our city reject this politics of hate. That is the Liverpool I know and am proud to call my home – a city that stands shoulder to shoulder against division.
But now a greater test lies ahead. On the 13 th September, a so-called “national free speech rally”, billed as one of the biggest far-right mobilisations in years, is being held in London. Let us not be fooled: this is not about free speech. It is about intimidation, division and hate. And if left unchallenged, it will embolden those who believe violence is a legitimate political tool.
This is why we must come together. We must treat domestic violence as the national emergency it is – because if we ignore it in the home, we will face it on our streets. We must change the story we tell about asylum – remembering that behind every statistic is a human being with hope and dignity. We must hold all political leaders to account for their words and ensure they do not echo the rhetoric of extremists. And we must support communities to stand together, just as Liverpool always does, to show that solidarity is stronger than fear.
We are at a crossroads. We can allow the far-right to set the agenda, normalising hate and putting women, children and asylum seekers at risk. Or we can draw a line. In Liverpool, it is clear which side we are on. We choose compassion over cruelty, solidarity over scapegoating, and dignity over division.
Dangerous times are ahead – but only if we let them be. Over the coming months, let us prove that we will not.
Kim Johnson is the Labour MP for Liverpool Riverside.
