I do think that's a good article indeed - and I think it's part of this overall problem in the debate around this. That article represents the spirit of what Labour should be saying in this debate. Sure, bring the numbers down, close these fake schools which people are using to take advantage of the system, fine - but even as you do so, approach it while adhering to the spirit of this article. People urgently need to understand the other side of this debate and there is absolutely no voice for it. That article speaks to just a subjective appreciation for the most part and doesn't directly look at the fundamental economic truths around our need of these people, but those realities are also relevant.
As with Brexit, a huge number of people in this country simply refuse to believe or accept any of the downsides or negatives around their opinions on these issues, we are dangerously poorly informed as voters - and in fairness to Reform, that's not their fault. They're a single issue pressure group masquerading as a political party, we should not be expecting them to come out with the arguments against their single issue. We should however be expecting Labour to do so, in the spirit of that article, with additional facts, figures and evidence. To do this though, it would involve Labour also being able to point the finger at other aspects of society that are instead causing the problems we are struggling with (Brexit, private landlords, Brexit, a complete lack of government willingness to build new homes at anything like an appropriate rate, Brexit). They are simply not prepared to have these conversations, and as such have nothing to offer in place of holding up immigrants as the scapegoat.
I was stunned to read that letter Starmer penned a few years ago which the Tories were holding up as evidence of his insincerity around the issue, specifically because it would be unthinkable for him to say anything like that now. But I went back and looked at opinions on immigration 2022 and the UK was 70% in favour. We're now at 52% against. Part of that flip is Reform, but a big part of it is also Labour's complete surrender and retreat.