The Green Party will today launch a flat rate ‘International Membership’ to encourage more migrants and EU nationals to become involved in the party.
Introduced in response to the result of the EU referendum and increased incidences of xenophobia and hate crime in recent weeks, the new membership will allow EU nationals and all those who identify as migrants to join the party for £10 per year.
Natalie Bennett, Green Party Leader, said:
“Far too often, migrants in the UK have found themselves the subject of political debate rather than participating in it - and in recent months the discourse around migration has become particularly toxic and exclusionary.”
Bennett, who moved to the UK in 1999, has consistently spoken out against anti-migration rhetoric. During the 2015 General Election campaign her party created a ‘standing up for migrants’ mug in response to Labour’s controversial anti-migration merchandise.
Shahrar Ali, Green Party Deputy Leader, said:
“The Green Party has always been committed to giving a voice to those who are marginalised, and by introducing this International Membership we hope to give migrants and EU nationals an opportunity to get involved in shaping British politics.”
Since the result of the EU referendum was announced, in which 52% voted to leave, police chiefs have recorded a fivefold increase in reports of hate crime. (1) During the referendum campaign, ‘leave’ campaigners repeatedly came under fire for their ‘racist’ tactics on migration, with Ukip’s ‘breaking point’ poster compared to Nazi propaganda. (2)
Amelia Womack, Green Party Deputy Leader, added:
“This is a deeply worrying time for many of our neighbours. The EU referendum exposed deep divisions in British society which politicians from across the political spectrum have been complicit in inflaming, and it is up to all of us to ensure that those who have come to make their home here feel safe and welcome in our communities.”
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