A wave of hatred is sweeping Britain, with migrants blamed for a range of social ills. But migrants have not run down our public services, it’s not them that failed to build the houses our economy needs and they don’t cause a race to the bottom on wages or conditions. These are the results of political choices made by governments and corporations.

In fact, the free movement of people can build our collective power and creativity in the face of attempts by the super-rich to turn the world into a gigantic marketplace in which we are all isolated individuals competing against one another. Fear and hate further drives this isolation and undermines our ability to cooperate. It allows the already rich and powerful who have done so much damage to our country to win.

We are therefore alarmed by the way more MPs are now also turning their firepower on immigration. While we cannot ignore the concerns of anyone struggling and feeling insecure in a country that still has huge but concentrated wealth, we cannot pander to anti-immigrant sentiment in a race we cannot win and should never want to.

A democracy must defend the most vulnerable in society – all of them. And we must provide the services and homes for people who come to this country who add to its economy and its culture. Positive movements for change have always looked outwards, with humanity.

Kevin Courtney NUT general secretary, Manuel Cortes TSSA general secretary, Malia Bouattia NUS national president, Caroline Lucas MP Green party, David Lammy MP Labour, Rhea Wolfson, Christine Shawcroft, Ann Black and Darren Williams Labour party NEC members, Neal Lawson Compass, Michael Chessum Momentum, Hugh Lanning Alliance for Free Movement, Nick Dearden Global Justice Now, Luke Cooper Another Europe is Possible, Fizza Qureshi Migrants Rights Network, Paul Mackney Former UCU general secretary, Kate Hudson CND, Matt Carr One Day Without Us, Andrew Burgin Left Unity, Jenny Killin National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts, Pete Campbell Chair, BMA junior doctors committee

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