Is the Rwanda policy a vote winner? One High Street has its say

Vince Ayris has been running a store on Havelock Street for four decades.

We talked to some folks who were on a certain busy street to gather their thoughts on the new agreement revealed by the government, which is aimed at fulfilling their plan for Rwanda. The policy in question that's under debate is causing quite a stir in terms of dissuading migrants from making the journey across the English Channel.

Vince Ayris points out that if you take a look at it, while taking down a big artillery shell casing etched with 400 names, you can witness each British soldier's name who lost their life in Afghanistan.

Amidst the noise of the machines used for repairing shoes and cutting keys, the 61-year-old man shares his story of crafting polished cases for every grieving family who received their loved one's remains in a casket after serving in the military. He describes the intricate and delicate process of etching each of these cases.

"I have had the pleasure of meeting the Queen for my accomplishments," he states while beaming with pride as he carefully buffs the one he proudly showcases in his store. "She even greeted me with a handshake."

The town of Royal Wootton Bassett and the former RAF Lyneham, both known for the repatriation of numerous service members who passed away, are located just a short distance away from Havelock Street in Swindon. Vince has been running a shop in this area for four decades.

Vince's endorsement of the British government's initiative to relocate migrants to Rwanda during the period their asylum requests are being assessed is in line with his patriotism shown through allegiance to the monarchy and military.

The UK had its plan declared illegal by the Supreme Court at the beginning of this year. Recently, it signed a new treaty with the Rwandan government in response to the judges' worries. Although the outcome of this treaty hasn't been tried in court, the government seems to believe that the policy is popular with voters.

On a chilly and refreshing morning, Swindon seems quite different from Rwanda, but it's a reliable gauge of popular sentiment. Swindon typically reflects the UK's political preference - historically voting Labour until 2010 and then Conservative. In Swindon South's area, the proportion of people who favored leaving the European Union was 51.7%, similar to the national average of 51.9%.

The town is expanding rapidly, and its population has increased by 11.6% from 2011 to 2021. More individuals from foreign nations are settling here as well, with 23% of Swindon inhabitants stating that they were born outside of England. In comparison, the figure was just 16% a decade ago.

In my opinion, the time has arrived where we need to address this dilemma, declares Vince, a previous member of the parish council and an advocate of the Conservative party.

Speaking without action is useless. Decisiveness is important in moving forward, and we've come too far to turn back now. Changing our course would be a sign of weakness at this point.

Rwanda is actually quite decent, we're not incarcerating them, their welfare is being taken care of. It's not necessarily negative, the location is just far away.

In order to have a chance of staying in power in the upcoming election, the Conservative party must maintain their support in areas like Swindon. Unfortunately, the situation doesn't look favorable as the Labour party gained control of the borough council in May, ending 23 years of Conservative opposition.

Vince is a shop proprietor who is very familiar with his patrons. He knows their shoe size, their children's names, and even their political views - all of which they've shared with him while he's been cutting their keys or engraving their trophies.

He declares, "It's crucial that people have faith in me, which is a scarce commodity."

Vince makes an additional copy of a key for a woman who has left her nursing job at the nearby hospital feeling unhappy. She expresses her dissatisfaction with Swindon and its main shopping area. She mentions that the M&S store shut down in October.

She expresses worry about immigration, but she doesn't hold it accountable for putting stress on the NHS. Instead, she believes that it's the fault of the governments who weren't able to properly handle the budget.

The Great Western Hospital in Swindon is experiencing long waiting times, which is a sign of the NHS's difficulties. For A&E patients in October, only 71.5% were attended to within four hours, which is slightly higher than the average for the entire country. However, if we go back ten years, the hospital was nearly meeting the national goal of 90%.

The transfer of patients between hospitals in the NHS network indicates an even more challenging scenario of extended waiting times. As of last September, slightly more than half (52.4%) of the patients received treatment within 18 weeks. This statistic falls short of the national average and is significantly lower than the intended 92% target. Shockingly, this target was previously met by the NHS in Swindon a decade ago.

'Who Foots The Bill?'

One of Vince's clients, who prefers not to disclose their identity, holds a different opinion than him regarding Rwanda.

She inquires about the price.

The government tells taxpayers that they will ultimately be the ones responsible for paying for everything. However, they do not offer us the opportunity to have a say or make a choice. This is unjust and unacceptable.

Vince enjoys discussing the issue, but he remains unchanged in his opinion. He suggests finding a solution to efficiently handle individuals instead of spending large amounts of money on luxurious accommodations.

I do not perceive the proposal of sending illegal immigrants to Rwanda as an insult. These individuals entered the country without following proper protocols, but are currently receiving equitable treatment. Under the present circumstances, it appears that Rwanda may be the most feasible option for them.

Presently, a number of the lodgings in Swindon are accommodating individuals who have sought asylum. Generally, it is the low-cost and aged establishments that are reserved in bulk. Nationally, approximately 50,000 people are residing in provisional quarters, prompting the Home Office to vow to diminish expenses that are reaching millions of pounds per day.

A hotel employee informed me that a lot of the workers were fired due to the fact that the cleaning and food services are not as thorough.

Additionally, he mentions that the agreements, which were made by a firm hired by the Home Office, encompass the expenses of renovating the hotel prior to its reopening for the broader audience.

He's upset about the fact that companies are making money off of taxpayers and he's also concerned about the difficult circumstances that asylum seekers who have experienced trauma are facing.

Vince takes me to Havelock Street, which is filled with a variety of businesses from different cultures. There's a supermarket that sells Chinese products, a barber shop run by Kurdish people, a café that serves Portuguese food, and even a club dedicated to Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

Caitlin Snider stated that being cruel and unkind is a consequence of something.

The advancement of Swindon has continuously been motivated by individuals relocating - initially due to the railways and later because of the inauguration of the Honda automobile production facility in 1985.

The former factory where locomotives were once produced has transformed into a museum, while Honda abandoned a decayed area in 2021. However, the allure of affordable housing close to London still attracts many individuals to the vicinity.

Cathal and Midge McCormack relocated to this area a quarter-century ago. Cathal hails from Ireland.

"I have no words for how little they understand," he commented in response to my question about the government's approach to immigration.

It appears that they lack a coherent strategy, as their only tactic is to repeatedly utter the phrase "stop the boats." In exchange for no apparent benefit, they have already given Rwanda a whopping £140 million.

According to Cathal, migrants are crucial for the town's development.

As you stroll through Swindon, you'll notice that many shops have shut down but there are numerous vacancy notices on display. This indicates a high demand for workers. It's simply insane, completely absurd," she exclaims.

The rate of unemployment in Swindon is currently at a low 3.2%. However, it is not difficult to come across a certain level of mistrust in the area of Havelock Street. Some individuals there exhibit negative attitudes towards people who are not local to the area, and even express blatantly discriminatory behavior.

A female, born in the United Kingdom, identifies herself as an Irish Traveller/Norwegian and raises a concern about her doctor's clinic being overcrowded with migrants.

Why does it have to be this way? Why must we tolerate it? As an English citizen, I'm unable to schedule an appointment with a physician. Why am I compelled to see an Indian doctor? It's my right to select a white, female doctor.

In spite of denying that she is racist, she makes baseless statements about immigrants being accountable for an unfair amount of criminal activities and mentions her unease about her daughter encountering bothersome foreign men. While speaking, she suddenly stops due to the presence of a woman who is cloaked in a headscarf and veil.

"That woman standing yonder, that's unacceptable, completely unacceptable. She's only revealing her eyes. I am not permitted to put on a balaclava in the city, then why is she allowed to display herself like that? There is no dissimilarity, right?" When I hypothesize that she is of foreign origin, she turns hostile toward me, orders me to go away, and warns me of physical harm.

Lezgin Guzel is very definite in his viewpoint regarding the mobile phone store situated on Havelock Street.

"I believe that it's incorrect. The court made a decision denying it, so why would you oppose their ruling if you're considering the welfare of people? It's inappropriate, absolutely inappropriate. If we contradict the principles of justice, how can we have confidence in our legal framework or even our nation as a whole?"

Lezgin, who is from Turkey, came to this country after tying the knot. It's not only in the United Kingdom where he encounters antagonism.

The discrimination against foreigners in Turkey is more severe than what we experience here, and the majority of the populace in Turkey is Muslim. Even when Muslim individuals come to Turkey, they still face criticism. As such, the issue is not merely about labeling British people as prejudiced or self-centered.

Caitlin Snider expresses that it causes us to become merciless and mean while she sits and waits for her significant other at the barbershop for Kurdish individuals.

The reality that they have undertaken the perilous expedition to come here implies to me that they are prepared to jeopardize everything for the benefit of their offspring's future."

Sending people back is not beneficial for anyone; it is an expensive process that does not provide any aid to individuals nor to our society.

Caitlin, who works in a coffee shop and is 25 years old, gives her thoughts on immigration and the mixed opinions it evokes. According to her, her family consisting of members of the navy, RAF, and military hold stronger views on this topic than she does. She feels like the outsider in her family as they are in favor of closed borders and to concentrate on our country.

According to Lezgin Guzel, he believes that something is not correct and should not be done.

There are many individuals who are hesitant to discuss immigration as they are apprehensive about the repercussions that may arise from expressing their opinion. I have repeatedly come across people who refuse to comment on camera or state that they are unable to discuss the topic.

A driving teacher from the nearby area who provides driving lessons in various languages declined to speak, mentioning that if he does so, somebody might slash his tyres.

The issue of immigration can be quite divisive, and for a lot of people in Swindon, the idea of the Rwanda plan is quite contentious. A number of local groups and businesses have been hesitant to get involved in discussions about it. In fact, there are some individuals who are completely unaware of the plan and have therefore not been able to form an informed impression of it.

Vince is a person who enjoys having conversations.

He gestures towards the colorful flags he hung up across the road to celebrate the King's crowning ceremony. He feels relieved that he didn't take them down since he heard the council won't be putting up any Christmas decorations this time. He remembers an immigrant who visited him in the past and asked him politely to remove the union flags that were hanging outside his store.

He mentioned that my flags were unpleasant to him, but my response was, "apologies, but you will need to become accustomed to them."