The Case on The UK Labour Party Immigration Policy: Changing Class Structure and Shifting Party Strategy

V PRADANA ADI NEGORO, Muhammad Irfan Ardhani, S.I.P., MIR

2023 | Skripsi | S1 ILMU HUBUNGAN INTERNASIONAL

The landslide victory of Boris Johnson in the 2019 UK general election marked a significant period of shifting electoral loyalty against the favors of the Labour Party, claiming major wins in many former loyal Labour boroughs in the process. With immigration policy becoming one of the prominent issues discussed during the election period, this research finds the curious case of Labour Party�s dualistic nature on the issue and how the party strived to juggle between contradictory interests of their growingly diverse constituents at the expense of their perceived native working-class interests. On this note, this research seeks to explain the reason behind the British Labour Party's support for open migration policy despite its contradiction to their main native working-class constituents. In accordance with the evidence, this research argues that the aforementioned case is caused by a rational decision to appeal to the new growing average voters that have become predominantly middle-class in the aftermath of the Thatcherite period as well making capital out of the growing migrant community which are seen to have much similar interests. This decision is further evident by the shifting factional domination of class background among modern Labour Party members, with more members coming from middle- or upper-class backgrounds. This condition resulted in their dual nature in maintaining the loyalty of their perceived main native working-class members and capitalizing on the interests of the growing middle-class and migrant group.

The landslide victory of Boris Johnson in the 2019 UK general election marked a significant period of shifting electoral loyalty against the favors of the Labour Party, claiming major wins in many former loyal Labour boroughs in the process. With immigration policy becoming one of the prominent issues discussed during the election period, this research finds the curious case of Labour Party�s dualistic nature on the issue and how the party strived to juggle between contradictory interests of their growingly diverse constituents at the expense of their perceived native working-class interests. On this note, this research seeks to explain the reason behind the British Labour Party's support for open migration policy despite its contradiction to their main native working-class constituents. In accordance with the evidence, this research argues that the aforementioned case is caused by a rational decision to appeal to the new growing average voters that have become predominantly middle-class in the aftermath of the Thatcherite period as well making capital out of the growing migrant community which are seen to have much similar interests. This decision is further evident by the shifting factional domination of class background among modern Labour Party members, with more members coming from middle- or upper-class backgrounds. This condition resulted in their dual nature in maintaining the loyalty of their perceived main native working-class members and capitalizing on the interests of the growing middle-class and migrant group.

Kata Kunci : United Kingdom, Labour Party, immigration policy, class structure, party strategy