Uncomfortable truth is shade of grey

ONE of the best parts of this job is speaking to new people. The phone goes and it could be anyone with any amazing tale to tell.

Also guaranteed, at least once a week, is someone phoning up with a legitimate story but shoehorning in a complaint about immigrants.

Chap phoned up the other week with concerns about litter being dropped in Shawlands. “I don’t need to tell you who’s doing it,” he said. “You know.”

I professed not to know so he would have to say it. Foreign children, ran the answer.

Another gent called up to tell me about how he needs legal aid but isn’t eligible because all the mone y i s g o i n g t o immigrants.

A woman was furious her child had missed out on a placing request. The problem? Glasgow schools are overrun with immigrant pupils.

Disclaimer: I wasn’t born in this country and returning to a blue passport post- Brexit doesn’t excite me because my passport is already blue.

When you complain to me that immigrant children shouldn’t be educated in Scottish state schools, please know I am very grateful for my Scottish state school education but my mother paid her taxes just like you do now and I had a right to it.

It doesn’t take long before the comments section on any given story on this paper’s website begins to bleat with complaints about immigrants. You can blame almost anything on the foreigners, it would seem.

There was a story about Govanhill – an area renowned for its high immigrant population – in a Sunday newspaper yesterday.

A campaigner was complaining about groups of foreign men standing on the street and only parting slightly when pedestrians approach so “you have to walk right through them.” I wonder what t he preferred solution is? That they lie prone on the pavement so Scottish- born residents can pad over the top of them?

So it was heartening indeed to see the outcry and disgust at Serco’s move to issue lock- change orders to asylum seekers whose accommodation is no longer being funded by the Home Office.

The backlash was swift and thorough. Politicians across the spectrum condemned the announcement. Charities such as Shelter and Govan Law Centre stepped in with pr a c t i c a l s upp o r t . Churches and individuals galvanised the support network for families at r i s k o f end i n g up homeless.

On one hand, suspicion, fear and distaste for immigrants. On the other hand, righteous indignation that newcomers should be treated as anything other than one of us.

On one hand, the exceptionalism that says we’re an unque st ion i n g ly welcoming city. On the other hand, not everyone is as open- minded.

On one hand, political leaders adamant asylum seekers and refugees should be supported. On the other hand, an electorate that doesn’t uniformly support this.

Glasgow prides itself on being welcoming and diverse. People make Glasgow, no matter where they’re from. When this goes awry, there’s a Get Out of Jail Free card – immigration policy is not devolved so the finger can be pointed at the Home Office.

Our hands are tied, it’s Westminster’s fault.

We’ll never really know who we are as a city until the powers that be have all the powers that be.

I’d like to think the public protests are the true face of Glasgow. But the truth is less black and white.