Pringle: We cannot allow society and politics to be shaped by far-right misinformation
- Updated: 24th January 2024
Independent TD for Donegal, Thomas Pringle, said we cannot allow our society and politics to be shaped by the misinformation and lies of the far right.
In a statement to the Council of Europe, Deputy Pringle said; “It is incumbent on all of us to make sure that the most vulnerable and weakest in society are not made the scapegoat of politicians and easy targets who do not have a support base to protect them at election time.
“Sadly, I feel that this will happen, particularly in Ireland, as it may have already happened in other European countries. There is still time for us if we have strong politics that can stand for what is right and decent. We cannot allow our society and politics to be shaped by the misinformation of the far right.
“They do not even have to be successful in elections. Simply by being there and organising their hate-filled campaign is getting politicians of the right and centre-right to move toward them so they will get their talking points adopted by default,” he said.
The deputy is in Strasbourg at the Council’s winter plenary session, where he submitted remarks to a debate on Tuesday on migration and asylum in election campaigns and the consequences on the welcoming and rights of migrants. Deputy Pringle is a member of the Unified European Left on the Council.
Deputy Pringle said: “The resolution says that it considers that migrants, refugees and asylum seekers are an integral part of European societies and calls on political parties and the media to reflect this reality constructively. It reiterates its support for underrepresented groups, especially migrants, in the electoral process as candidates and voters. It would suit all political parties to follow that advice.
“The resolution goes on to say that it ‘recalls the obligation and moral responsibility incumbent on politicians not to use hate speech or stigmatising language, and to immediately and unambiguously condemn their use by others’.
“The important part of that sentence is to condemn its use by others,” he said.
The deputy said: “I think it is important that the resolution mentions the media as well because they do have a huge responsibility not to allow the scapegoating.”
Deputy Pringle said: “Many of the services in our countries could not survive without immigration. That is what we need to remember, the contribution of future citizens.”
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