Wait, I’m seriously confused by this. If preserving the character of one’s country is an important issue, is the NHS not part of the character of the UK? My understanding is the NHS is one of the defining symbols of the UK, a showing of communal strength and compassion, the Western sensibility in the face of the devastation of war. It touches everyone who lives there, is born there, and often when they die there. It’s erosion is changing every single citizen by shaking their faith in the underlying values the institution represents. Isn’t that a way bigger change?

Genuinely, why are refugees something to be prioritized over a cultural touchstone institution if the goal is preserving historical character?