JCWI and others launch the Movement Against Xenophobia to counter anti-immigration rhetoric

On October 16th, the Movement Against Xenophobia (MAX) campaign was launched in the House of Commons with the support of the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI) and other organisations.

You can read more about the campaign here.

According to the JCWI website, MAX is a new campaign aimed at countering the vicious "race to the bottom" anti-immigrant discourse of mainstream politics in the UK.

A statement by MAX reads: "It is with alarm that we are witnessing the development of increasing hostility, xenophobia, discrimination and intolerance towards immigrants. We are gravely concerned at the tone of public discussion about immigration which is contributing to a climate of hostility and fear. Government, Opposition and other political parties are directly participating in a race to the bottom in this regard."

The statement continues: "We want to live in a civilized society where people, irrespective of background, are valued and treated with respect. We are migrants, descendants of migrants and 'indigenous' British people. We stand together for a diverse and inclusive society. We believe we can live together with dignity and peace, learning from each other's differences and contributing to a better place for future generations to live in."

Writing in a guest post on the JCWI website, Jeremy Corbyn MP says MAX "is a challenge to those who make extraordinary and exaggerated claims about the number of migrants to Britain and deny the huge contributions that they make to this country."

Corbyn also adds that the campaign should be an effective tool for opposing the details of the government's controversial new Immigration Bill.

You can watch a video of the launch of MAX here.