As 2023 draws to a close, we’re pleased to end the year with some positive news, which bodes well for 2024.
A hotel housing asylum seekers in Standish has closed three months earlier than planned. Kiley Court Hotel in Wigan was only designated as a spot to house migrants in August, but uproar from local councillors, campaigners and Wigan Council led to the government changing their minds at the end of October, announcing the closure by March 2024.
After multiple letters of objections from the council, the Wigan MPs and a petition signed by more than 3,500 people, plus numerous protests, the Home Office brought forward the date by three months to December 21st.
Of course, this could be seen as a band-aid on a bullet wound, as the migrants will be moved elsewhere. As a Serco representative stated: “I can confirm that the Kilhey Court hotel has been vacated in line with the Home Office Hotel Exit strategy, and we have been able to free up enough accommodation to support the closure of this hotel ahead of schedule.”
However, this argument overlooks the vital lesson that power ultimately lies with the people and local politics. When people unite and are duly represented by their local representatives, they can stop the government in its tracks. It isn’t the first time that such an effort has been successful, and it won’t be the last. It is the raison d’etre of local governance and the essence of the community politics approach adopted by the Homeland Party.
If we see enough localities follow suit, eventually, there will be nowhere left for the migrants to go other than back to their home country.
So, there is reason for hope and optimism in the future. Don’t be disheartened by the naysayers who argue that there is no political solution. These are people who would rather sit back and accept their perceived fate instead of fighting for their homeland and its future generations.
We refuse to let the corrupt government decide our fate. The Homeland Party aims to take back power and put it in the hands of our people. Let’s reclaim our democracy from those who seek to restrict our nations through international organisations, ultimately undermining the people’s will in the name of international law.
International Laws are simply agreements that our governments have willingly entered into using the power we have granted them. It’s high time that we, the people, are given the opportunity to voice our opinions on all matters related to immigration in our countries. This can be achieved by demanding a binding referendum instead of an advisory vote, fundamentally altering how we handle this issue. Our representatives must deliver on the outcome of such a referendum in parliament.
Let us determine if we are a democracy or International legal authoritarianism, which enforces international liberal norms and standards that restrict a country’s ability to make decisions based on its cultural, historical, or political context. This legal authoritarianism is especially evident when international liberal organisations or treaties enforce standards that may contradict the will of a particular population.
