Immigration Persuasive Speech

The third and most controversial point of interest in the vote to leave the EU centers around immigration reform, and it relates to English nationalism and xenophobia in a big way. “Taking back control” was a large part of the Leave campaign’s argument in all areas, but it was most prominent when it came to securing British borders and immigration. Claims made by average citizens such as “foreigners are coming in and taking our jobs” (“Brexit: Sunderland voters…”) struck a particularly resounding chord with other Leave voters, especially due to the extreme influx of immigration the country was receiving. Just before the Brexit referendum, immigration to the United Kingdom reached its highest annual level ever, recorded at around 650,000 immigrants …show more content…
In her Lancaster address, Theresa May had this to say on the subject: “…we will ensure we can control immigration to Britain from Europe... so we will get control of the number of people coming…” (May). Nigel Farage was bolder in his approach to it. Farage was one of the founding members of UKIP in 1993 and was elected as its leader in 2006. Although he was born into the upper-middle class, he has become a “mouthpiece for the disaffected working class” (“The Nigel Farage…”) and fought for twenty years along with UKIP to end Britain’s relationship with the EU. When British voters looked to the Leave Campaign leading up to the election date, Farage would have been one of the more familiar faces. A few of his more striking and memorable quotes also address immigration. Outlined by Rowena Mason, political correspondent for The Guardian newspaper, one of Farage’s earlier statements suggested banning immigrants who came to the UK and tested positive for HIV, seeing as—in his eyes—they only wanted to come into the country to abuse the NHS …show more content…
Yet he is most well-known for his slogan “I want my country back” which he used throughout the Brexit campaign with UKIP. On this front, however, much as the Leave Campaign website was wiped just the day after the referendum was decided, Farage resigned from his position from leader of UKIP soon after, using his own line for a new purpose as he told media “I want my life back” (“The Nigel Farage…”). To return to before the election, Farage was a very visible figure in the UK, and the things he said made a profound impact on the people of Great Britain as evidenced by the passage of the bill he so vigorously fought for, as well as its aftermath. In her paper entitled “Surge in Hate Crimes in the U.K. Following U.K.'s Brexit Vote,” Tara John, a writer for TIME, describes the alarming rise of hate crimes in Britain following the referendum decision

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