Kent’s migrant workers must be protected

Farmers across Britain, including Kent, have become heavily dependent on workers from other countries, particularly eastern Europe, to harvest their crops. Already there have been flights from Bulgaria arriving in the UK with workers destined for agricultural work. Concerns have been expressed about our ability to gather in the harvest, with fears of food being left rotting in the fields. This will lead to increased pressures to import cheap labour as we have done in the past, and, with the practical and economic imperatives becoming predominant, it is likely that the practice of encouraging poorer people from countries where wages are low will continue.

Singapore is currently experiencing a second peak of Covid-19 infection as it begins to relax its containment measures. The bulk of this second peak is to be found in its ex-pat community of workers who tend to be poorer and living in poorer conditions. This reflects the socio-economic spread of the virus. Although the virus does not discriminate, society does, and it has become apparent that people from lower socio-economic status are more affected than those better off.

When the influx of migrant workers arrives in Kent, I would like to know what measures are going to be put into place to protect them from this disease. I think we have a duty of care towards them, especially as they are likely to be at increased risk due to things such as their living conditions (for example sharing small caravans, limited washing spaces, poor access to hygiene etc.) This is not an entirely altruistic enquiry because the increased risk to this part of the community will also have implications for the wider population. Whilst we are grateful for their labour, if we are to encourage and continue the practice, there is an onus upon us to do more for their welfare generally. I would be interested to discover what our farmers are doing to reduce the human costs of food production.

Robert Hayward