Illustration: Xia Qing/GT

The UK is currently experiencing its most serious violent riots in 13 years, which were sparked by a social security incident on July 29. A 17-year-old boy armed with a knife entered a children's dance workshop and carried out an attack, resulting in serious injuries and three fatalities. False information quickly spread on social media, incorrectly claiming that the attacker was a radical Muslim immigrant. This led to anti-immigrant protests breaking out in various towns and cities. The truth is, the suspect was a legal immigrant who was born in the UK and whose parents had immigrated from Rwanda legally. This incident has brought to light a deeper social crisis in the UK.
In recent years, immigration has emerged as a major social issue in developed countries in Europe, with different political parties competing for votes on the topic. Following World War II, many developed European countries implemented more relaxed immigration policies to address labor market shortages to satisfy economic development needs. By the end of the last century, as economic growth continued in Europe and the US, these more relaxed immigration policies persisted, with multiculturalism being widely accepted as a politically correct stance. 

However, in the past decade, with global economic development slowing down and industries in developed countries facing challenges, internal contradictions within European and US societies have intensified. Immigrant groups, who were once important contributors to socio-economic development, are currently experiencing negative reactions and protests from others in society. Far-right political forces in Europe have gained momentum in recent years, even becoming mainstream ideologies in some countries. The rightward shift in European politics is now an undeniable political reality that shows no signs of slowing down. Meanwhile, concerns over increasingly restrictive policies grow as Europe shifts rightward. In the recent violent riots, UK's far-right activists, Tommy Robinson, used social media to spread misinformation and manipulate public opinion, leading to widespread social unrest in multiple cities. The riots started from a rumor, but this also reveals the British people's stance on immigration issues.

The desire of the public for governments to listen to social demands has been repeatedly overlooked. An article in the US magazine Foreign Policy argues that by any measure, the UK "faces a serious economic and social crisis, one that will deepen without big shifts in policy." The article contends that current "average UK real wages are now lower than 18 years ago, which is unprecedented in the country's peacetime economic history." According to recent analysis by experts cited in the Financial Times, by 2024, the average household income in the UK will be lower than that of Slovenia.

As UK is witnessing the slowest economic growth among largest developed countries in Europe, some Western media outlets have dubbed the UK the "sick man" of Europe. The current immigration crisis in the UK fundamentally stems from entrenched economic development crises and social livelihood issues. Social and cultural attitudes prevalent in the UK do not lean toward extremist ideologies or behaviors, nor are its people devoid of patience and resilience. However, the landslide victory in the recent UK general election and the subsequent intense violent riots underscore the intolerable state of social conditions for the British public.

The hyping of immigration issues has long been a major tool for different political forces to attack each other, underscoring the persistent sociocultural identity crisis in Western developed countries, as exemplified by the UK. A large number of immigrants to the UK originate from its former Asian colonies and Middle Eastern countries, with a relatively high proportion of Muslims. With differences in language, ethnicity and cultural-educational backgrounds, the integration of immigrants into British society remains a key concern.

Objectively, how to achieve true cultural fusion with Islamic communities is a real challenge that the UK and all of Europe must confront earnestly. Addressing this social problem cannot be achieved merely through the formulation of a specific policy or simple institutional changes. What's needed is ethnic harmony and a consciousness of inclusivity. It is evident, therefore, that constructing shared core cultural values and forging a unified national cultural identity is crucial for a country's long-term stability and well-being.

The author is director of the Center for British Studies at Shanghai International Studies University and China Forum expert of the Center for International Security and Strategy at Tsinghua University. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn