Labour MPs and Civil Rights groups are outraged that industry minister Margaret Hodge has said the perception of her constituents is that the needs of immigrants are given priority over those of local people.
Ms. Hodge, who is MP for Barking (!) was the Labour Minister who not long ago said her seat could fall to the BNP at the next General Election you may remember.
I live in the town next door to Burnley, another constituency where the BNP have been successful. Being fairly local I know that the perception among white working class voters in Burnley was similar. The local Labour party again backed by civil rights groups dismissed the rejection of their policies by saying the perception was wrong.
Now will someone just remind me, which party was it that won three General Elections while led by a man who said "perception is everything?"