Immigrant portrayal through 2000s
1992 the UK, together with other EU nations, signed the Maastricht Treaty. This meant all EU citizens had the freedom to choose which EU member state they lived in. This led to tens of thousands of people coming to the UK from other EU countries, but was counter-balanced by the tens of thousands of British people who moved to other EU states.
The UK government at the time took a positive stance on EU immigration – arguing that a growing economy needed a growing workforce.
On 11th September 2001 a terrorist attack took place in the US which impacted the world as a whole. The attack was carried out by Al-Qaeda, an extremist Islamist group. This attack led to war and upset across the world, which brought Muslims and middle-eastern races to the fore.
Tabloid newspapers frequently used sensational and inaccurate stories, often featuring non-white immigrants and asylum seekers, to evoke fear among readers.
Media narratives often villainised immigrants, creating an “us versus them” rhetoric.
The media often failed to include direct voices and experiences from migrants and asylum seekers, which gave a one-sided portrayal of the issues