Labour ministers are still trying to outdo Reform UK on immigration, according to Mothin Ali, Deputy Leader of the Green Party of England and Wales and Leeds City Councillor for Gipton and Harehills. Writing in a commentary, Ali described the familiar sight of a Labour minister scrapping with Reform to prove who is more anti-immigration as 'so familiar you could set your watch by it.'
Row over doctored clip
The latest incident involved Reform's Robert Jenrick and Labour minister Jo White, who argued over who was more committed to 'stopping the boats.' Jenrick posted a doctored clip in an apparent attempt to smear White, then hurriedly deleted it after White corrected him and faced calls to apologise. Ali argued that instead of simply demanding an apology, people should ask why White is 'apparently hellbent on stopping migrants from entering our country.'
Ali condemned Jenrick and Reform for the 'disgraceful attempt to try to smear another MP by doctoring footage,' calling it a perfect example of why many have lost faith in politics. He noted that successive governments have scapegoated migrants, linking that rhetoric to far-right hate and violence.
Personal story and Green Party stance
Ali, whose parents came to Britain from Bangladesh, stressed that immigration is not a political football but the reality of millions who helped build modern Britain. 'They are not a political football to be kicked while politicians try to one up each other,' he wrote. He credited his upbringing for his role as a national party deputy leader and declared he will never apologise for his identity.
The Green Party, Ali said, is unafraid to state that immigration has enriched the country economically, culturally, and socially. He criticised Labour for echoing Reform's language in hopes of winning voters, predicting they will not succeed, as evidenced by Keir Starmer's 'disastrous two years in Number 10.'
Policy priorities
Ali argued that soaring housing costs, crumbling public services, and stagnant wages were not caused by migrants but by political choices that failed to invest in communities. The Green Party, he said, prioritises creating safe and managed legal routes for refugees, ending the hostile environment, tackling workplace exploitation, and investing in public services and affordable homes. He contrasted this with Labour's threat of deportation under Starmer.
Ali expressed hope that new Prime Minister Andy Burnham would mark a change, but said Burnham 'looks more and more like Starmer 2.0 every day.' He concluded by celebrating diversity and rejecting the division sown by both Labour and Reform, stating: 'Our politics is one of hope.'
