After immigration controversy and political scandal, Peterborough faces by-election turmoil

Author: Nosheen Iqbal

“I think there are too many migrants in Peterborough, there are too many of us,” claims Katarzyna Borzecka, who moved to the city 11 years ago. “In Poland, Peterborough is famous – they call it Polishborough.”

Borzecka, 33, works as an office administrator for an accountancy firm just off Lincoln Road, the city’s most notorious thoroughfare. Here, a one-mile stretch of small businesses shows up the recent history of Peterborough’s rapid growth: Italian, Pakistani, Portuguese, Turkish, Polish, Lithuanian, Albanian, Kosovan, Afro-Caribbean, Afghan, Chinese and Indian takeaways and food stores, barbers and cafes slot in one after the other.

Debate about how the city has coped with an extraordinary population surge (from 157,000 to 200,000 since 2001) has local people divided. But how Peterborough votes has become a political bellwether for Westminster. It has historically been a marginal seat: in the EU referendum, Peterborough voted Leave by 61%. The following year, in the 2017 general election, hardline Tory Brexiter Stewart Jackson lost his seat of 12 years to Labour newcomer Fiona Onasanya.

Now, following Onasanya’s conviction last week for perverting the course of justice by lying to the police over a speeding offence, she has been urged to resign. And it is distinctly possible that there will be a byelection next year amid the turmoil of Brexit in a tightly fought marginal with high levels of immigration that was won by only 607 votes. Such a prospect has political pundits breathless with excitement. But how do the locals feel?

“True Peterboroughians are inward-looking,” said Alison Jones, an HR consultant married to a Labour councillor. “They care about flytipping and our schools doing badly. It’s not really about immigration.”

Is there no hostility to recent migrants? “Oh, sometimes people think they’re coming in taking jobs, but I can tell you with my HR hat that migrants are fulfilling essential jobs, the jobs are there.” Peterborough, which has a mixed economy – a combination of light industry, logistics, warehouse parks, digital media companies and service industry – has an employment rate of 79%, above the national average.

Jones describes herself as “a true floating voter” but now campaigns for Labour. “As a couple, my husband and I are definitely in a minority with our friends and family.”

On a drive from the east of the city centre to the west, taxi driver Abdul Majeed laughed off the notion that Peterborough might be considered a Tory safe seat, or even the site of a Ukip resurgence. (Nigel Farage, the former Ukip leader who quit the party this month, has twice ruled out standing in any eventual byelection.) “They have no chance,” said Majeed. “I would vote Labour again – most Pakistanis are Labour, you know this. Tories are not in favour of Asians like us.”

At lunchtime outside the Crown, a man sat slumped on the pavement tugging on his orange fleece. “That’s the last English pub around here [on Lincoln Road],” noted Majeed. “There are 20 or 25 different nationalities on this road and boys hanging out on the street and things, but people are busy.” Does he think Peterborough has suffered? “If the migrants weren’t here, where would all the businesses be? Peterborough is very nice, they are good people.”

But the city has undeniably suffered under austerity. The Tory-led local council has taken an 80% funding cut from central government. Following the introduction of universal credit, with tenants now receiving their benefits directly, many landlords sold up, contributing to a rise in homelessness.

“Two and a half years ago, the council had spare temporary accommodation and didn’t know what to do with it,” said Peterborough Telegraph reporter Joel Lamy. In August, more than 60 Peterborough families were living in Travelodges in Leicester, Doncaster and beyond. “This week the council finally got that number down to zero, but it’s been a major talking point. Peterborough is in a position for Labour to make gains, but they have struggled. In a time of austerity you would expect they would be doing better than they are.”

Onasanya is still in her post despite being suspended by the Labour party. Last week she sent a message to other Labour MPs, likening her predicament to that of biblical figures including Jesus and asking them to pray for her. She will be sentenced in January.

If a byelection is held, there is speculation that Labour will submit an all-female shortlist. Known candidates for other parties so far include Paul Bristow for the Tories, whose parents are lifelong members of Peterborough Conservative Club, and Beki Sellick for the Lib Dems. Ukip has said it will reveal the name of its candidate soon.

“It’s absolute rubbish if people think Ukip have a chance here,” said Shaun Rollinson, general manager of the Great Northern Hotel. “Whatever support they’ve got, they’ll lose because of the connection to Tommy Robinson [EDL founder]. Peterborough is such a multicultural city, they’ll never get in here. They have nothing to offer.”

Rollinson voted Leave in the referendum and believed a no-deal Brexit was now the best national option. “We are the second-fastest growing city in the UK; there is a lot of money being bandied around for investment in the next five years and that can only be a good thing.”

Former MP Jackson, long considered a divisive figure in the city, insisted: “Peterborough has a strong Leave vote because a lot of people don’t feel part of its economic growth and prosperity. The problem has been the scale of immigration, which has caused pressure on services.”

He added: “The Labour party are in a real mess now, they have cut Fiona adrift brutally.” He liked the young Cambridge-born solicitor, despite losing to her. “To me, it’s a tragedy she’s lost her professional and political career. She made a mistake, she isn’t wicked. I feel sorry for her. She’s very likable and energetic – I hope she finds another outlet in public life.”

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Source:https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/dec/23/peterborough-byelection-bellwether-seat

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