Immigration remains one of the most debated topics in UK politics, and Neil Duncan-Jordan, Labour MP for Poole, is unafraid to address its complexities. In an exclusive interview, Duncan-Jordan shared his thoughts on immigration policies, the fallout from Brexit and the media’s role in shaping public perception.
Duncan-Jordan, who joined Parliament as a Labour backbencher on July 5th, didn’t hold back when discussing Conservative immigration policies, “One of the big myths the Conservatives were guilty of, was that they told the public they were very strong on immigration, that they were going to fix the problem of illegal immigration,” he said.
He pointed to the controversial Rwanda repatriation scheme as a prime example of inefficiency. “When Labour came to power, they uncovered that we had spent £700 million on the Rwanda repatriation scheme, and four people had gone on that scheme. Per person, that’s almost £200 million each to send one person back. It was a complete fraud. It didn’t work, and yet the public was led to believe that was going to be the solution.”
Duncan-Jordan argues that real solutions require a deeper understanding of migration's root causes such as climate catastrophes, wars, and oppressive regimes. “You’re not going to stop migration until you stop some of those things,” he said. Describing Britain as “a nation of immigrants,” he highlighted how newcomers renew and enrich the country’s culture while acknowledging the challenges. “The downside is that some of our facilities can’t cope with a huge influx of people. We have to recognise there’s got to be a balance.”
In Poole, immigrants significantly support public services like the NHS. Duncan-Jordan stressed the benefits of legal migration. “They’re not only providing a public service but paying taxes into our local economy. It’s a win-win for them and the country.”
However, he was critical of politicians offering simplistic solutions. “Politicians who say that a complicated issue like immigration has an easy answer. They’re the dangerous politicians, the people who offer easy answers to complex problems. And anybody who tells you they can fix it overnight is a liar.”
When asked about Brexit, Duncan-Jordan didn’t need to think twice on his answer. “In my personal view, it was a disaster for this country. The public was lied to. The claims that the NHS was going to get all that additional money, where is that additional money? That was just a huge lie.”
He reflected on the economic toll Brexit has taken on businesses and the national GDP, describing it as a significant setback. “Our GDP, our economy, has suffered as a result of not being able to trade properly with our biggest trading partner, the EU. These are real problems caused by Brexit,” he explained.
Duncan-Jordan shared his personal view on the potential benefits of re-joining the single market, highlighting the frustrations of local businesses. “I talk to businesses locally who are desperate to do more in Europe. All of the bureaucracy that they have to deal with now because they’re not part of the single market, it’s preventing them from growing their business, from being successful. It’s preventing our economy from growing.”
Duncan-Jordan also criticised the media’s portrayal of immigration. “I have yet to read a British newspaper that has a positive immigration story. It’s always negative, and it feeds a classic narrative.”
He warned these narratives fuel the rise of far-right movements. “Rather than looking at the big corporations, right-wing governments, or poor management, we say, ‘The cause of your problem is this guy who’s fleeing war.’”
He stressed the importance of understanding why people are leaving their home countries, particularly in war-torn regions. He questioned the UK’s role in contributing to global conflicts. “Partly because we’re involved in some of that,” he said. “We’re either arming some of those people to drop bombs on each other, or connected in some other way through our foreign policy. So, we can’t wash our hands of this and say it’s nothing to do with us. That’s not how it works."
Despite his pro-immigration stance, Duncan-Jordan recognised public fears. “People here are fearful, and I understand that. People are different; they don’t like change. They think someone’s getting something they’re not. All of those are very legitimate concerns that people have.”
He condemned extremist actions, including racially motivated riots and attacks on refugee accommodations. “That’s unacceptable criminal behaviour which we won’t and shouldn’t tolerate. Refusing to talk about it isn’t going to help, but we have to have a dialogue in a respectful way,” he urged.
He emphasised the need for respectful debate and transparency in political discourse.“We might have different opinions, I get that, that’s what a democracy is about. But providing we understand what the rules of the debate are, which sometimes we haven’t done recently”
Finally, he called for greater honesty from politicians about the challenges ahead. “Politicians like me have got to be more honest with the public. We are going to fix this, but it’s going to take a few years to do that. It isn’t going to be fixed overnight. Anybody who tells you they can fix it overnight is a liar.”
For updates on my project and more interviews, follow me on Instagram: @immigrationrealities
Find out more about Neil Duncan-Jordan and his work here: https://www.neilforpoole.co.uk
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