The staff at Whipps Cross hospital are a fantastic body of people.
I was recently a patient at Whipps Cross, witnessing the selfless work of so many people. The conditions are not easy with the pressure to deal with often life-threatening conditions.
All this, as well as working on what is now, in part, a construction site.
Another thing that struck me on my visit was the number of migrants keeping the whole show on the road.
Whipps Cross is a microcosm of the NHS, that serves us all, staffed to a large degree by people from other countries. The same applies to many other sectors from care, education and transport to hospitality and construction.
If migrants went on strike the British economy would grind to a halt.
Britain has an ageing population, with a falling birth rate - the economy desperately needs migrants.
So why is it that parties like Reform UK, who base their whole appeal on an anti-migrant agenda, seem to be growing in popularity?
Reform UK are the party of the elites, posing as the party of the people, scapegoating minorities to attain political office.
Where they have attained office, mayhem has ensued. Kent is one example.
These people are not serious but peddle division to win office.
They have no time for an NHS free at point of delivery.
That said, the Labour Party could do better - it is seemingly fixated with aping Reform. Take the small boats agenda. Some 37,000 people come desperately seeking refuge but are stereotyped as criminals. A distortion and distraction.
Meanwhile, in the fifth richest country in the world, some five million children live under the poverty line.
Over 150 billionaires live in Britain, while millions go to food banks.
Rather than stand up for our multicultural society, the government seems keen to follow the Reform UK's lead.
Legal migrants it seems are not welcome.
There are restrictions, according to earning levels. And proposals to insist on language competency to A-level English - how many indigenous British have this qualification? How many need it?
Higher education is one of the few UK growth sectors, so why penalise the overseas students whose fees largely keep it going?
The anti-migrant agenda promoted by Reform UK and mirrored by many other parties is on one level immoral, driving division throughout the country. On another, it is economic suicide for a country. Migrants are net contributors to the economy.
So next time you’re in A&E or visiting relations in a care home, look around you to see what is going on.
Then, maybe, smile and say thank you to all those fantastic migrant staff for all that they do.
- Paul Donovan is Labour councillor for Wanstead Village ward, Redbridge Council and a blogger (paulfdonovan.blogspot.com).
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