The Brexit Party’s visit to Coventry gives the city a bad name

The Brexit soap opera had a new episode recently in which Nigel Farage made a visit to Coventry to talk about his new political party project. Farage positioned himself very much at the forefront of the Leave campaign and has since often expressed his contempt at the way the Tories have handled the situation. He has a reputation you could describe to be somewhat unsavoury due to his controversial views and his new project echoes the politics of the UKIP party with a special focus on, surprisingly enough, Brexit.

Whilst I could go on about all the things I take issue with in regard to Nigel’s next venture, what really stood out to me was his choice of venue for the great reveal. I was born and bred in Coventry and have lived here all my life. I’ve always viewed it as a place of rich cultural diversity with a sense of community and solidarity but that image has rapidly unravelled recently, and to say that concerns me would be an understatement.  

Studying at Warwick means I haven’t strayed from the city and have a kind of maternal protection over it whenever friends try to point out its admittedly glaring flaws. However, it’s becoming harder to defend and it’s now to the point that my strongest point seems to be “but… we have a big IKEA”, which isn’t ideal. I fear that the Brexit Party visit makes this a hopeless task as I’m struggling to convince even myself of any redeemable features.

The idea that Farage felt that this was a place he would find a supportive audience and would have his views validated in quite frankly terrifies me. I wouldn’t consider a place where Farage or his supporting MPs feel amongst peers to be one that is unified or tolerant at all.  Our own university is technically situated in Coventry and whilst many unsurprisingly choose to ignore this fact and migrate over to Leamington Spa, this recent event is something Warwick students need to be concerned about. With the upcoming ‘City of Culture 2020’ title, the aim of the campaign has been to encourage students to venture into the city and give it a chance. When it becomes a place that hosts and welcomes divisive views such as those underlying the Brexit or UKIP Party manifestos, the idea that it can be marked as a city that celebrates culture is almost laughable.  

Despite this pessimistic view, Coventry has the potential to become somewhere that is worth visiting. It has a rich history, has welcomed contemporary new restaurants and is generally attempting to reform the dull reputation it has. The attitudes that seem to be validated as a result of Farage’s visit, however, don’t fit with this aspiration of creating an up-and-coming, modern city.

I personally no longer feel completely safe in the city I have spent my entire life living in because of the knowledge that this narrative of division is one that people still support

I would like to be able to say that my hometown is one that encourages tolerance, integration and acceptance but with the recent rise in violent crime and now this, I worry for the future of Coventry. I personally no longer feel completely safe in the city I have spent my entire life living in because of the knowledge that this narrative of division is one that people still support.

Of course, freedom of speech is a vital part of maintaining the integrity and transparency of politics and I’m not suggesting that anyone’s views are to be censored. Farage has a democratic right to express his politics, just as I have a right to write this article. However, when those views encourage a separation between communities and vilify entire demographics of people, they don’t have any place in the tolerant and integrative city we should be striving to cultivate.

The fact that Farage chose somewhere so close to our university as a place to propose the Brexit Party suggests that we need to have a real look at where it is going as a city and if we are comfortable with the attitudes that surround us

Coventry has an admirable post-war history that reflects a community of unity that we seem to have lost. Instead, it’s a city where politicians recognise the traces of division, prejudice and intolerance they can use to promote their politics. The fact that Farage chose somewhere so close to our university as a place to propose the Brexit Party suggests that we need to have a real look at where it is going as a city and if we are comfortable with the attitudes that surround us.

Most importantly, it exposes doubt as to whether the future of Coventry is one that encourages the tolerance and community spirit it is famed for, or if it is becoming one that cultivates division, prejudice and disharmony. As much as it scares me to say so, with the way things are going the latter seems to be most likely, and that’s a real concern.