In Search of a Hame: Why Scotland Must Embrace Asylum Seekers

Professor Joe Goldblatt

The Italian Marxist philosopher and politician Antonio Francesco Gramsci (1891 – 1937) was a vocal critic of the fascist leader Benito Mussolini. He was put in prison in 1926 for his beliefs and remained incarcerated until shortly before his death. He once wrote about the horrific era in which he lived, “The old world is dying. and the new world struggles to be born; now is the time of monsters.”

Shall we as a civil society defeat the monsters and bring about the new world together?

The photographs of asylum seekers in Scotland we see in the media usually depict the exterior view of a dilapidated hotel surrounded by angry protesters.

Often we forget the individuals inside the hotel who have fled the land of their birth, leaving behind their multi – generational family and friends in search of a desperate chance for a slightly better life or in some cases life itself.

There are about 6000 asylum seekers in Scotland as of 2025 and of these only 1500 are being housed in hotels, although a much larger number are receiving support from the home office. This is of course a small fraction of the individuals around the world who need our help.

Why should we help one other? From biblical times we have known and many have believed that we are our brothers and sisters keepers. Further, according to the Hebrew Prophet Hillel we must not do unto others what we would not want them to do unto us. Therefore, why in recent years have some of our fellow citizens in Scotland begun to look the other way when it comes to looking after one another that includes our brothers and sisters who are simply seeking a better life and many of whom wish to make a positive contribution to our country?

I believe that our intolerance of the other in society is unnatural for Scots, however, in recent years this has been growing to a fever pitch as evidenced by demonstrations out – with so – called Asylum Hotels. There is no simple answer to this highly complex question.

Iain Stewart, executive director of the Edinburgh Interfaith Association provides one answer when he composed an official statement from Scotland’s oldest interfaith association. Stewart writes “We like to think that Scotland is a welcoming place. People like to say ” We are all Jock Tamson’s bairns” meaning we are all the same regardless of colour.”

However in recent days with the not so peaceful demonstrations throughout Scotland we have demonstrated our in tolerance for the other in our society. This is a total anathema to to the historic values of this bonnie land and her intelligent people.

During the Scottish enlightenment great Scottish thinkers such as Adam Smith writing in his follow up toThe Wealth of Nations strongly argued that all citizens must first do good in order to eventually do well. In other words, success as a civil society must be a natural result of the good behaviour of its citizens.

Within my own neighbourhood there are many empty accommodations that could be used to house asylum seekers. In my building there has been an empty two bedroom flat for over ten years located on the ground floor that could be used to accommodate a disabled asylum seeker. However, despite my best efforts to contact the owner, it remains empty.

Therefore, we must now and always defeat the monsters who are emerging among and within us to firmly demonstrate that we welcome others to our country all who seek our help.

The American immigrant and poet Emma Lazarus wrote in 1883 and and this is engraved upon the base of the Statue of Liberty in New York City Harbour … “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest – tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

As Iain Stewart suggests we must step forward as the Scotland we know and love and show compassion to refugees, many who are fleeing untold horrors to seek refuge here. After all, we are Jack Tamson’s bairns, and all with gifts to bring to our society and our ‘New Scots’ refugees should not been as a threat but recognised as people who have many talents and gifts that they can bring to the betterment of our great nation.

We must also stand together with our different faiths, cultural, and political groups to send a clear message that Scotland is a welcoming caring nation. A country that takes a zero tolerance stance against racism and hate  and recognises that just like the different threads of a tartan, when our diverse people, refugees, cultures and faiths all come together they create something quite beautiful and woven with the strength of love and respect.

Professor Joe Goldblatt is co – chair of the Edinburgh Interfaith Association.