As the recession deepens, social tension appears to be on the rise in Britain and other parts of Europe. The word went out for every skilled man to join the strike. Oil refinery workers across the country, have been staging wildcat strikes in protest of Italian and Portuguese workers - who have been brought by a construction company to do work - at Total UK’s giant oil refinery.

Gordon Brown’s famous phrase “Uk jobs for British workers”, is now being shouted back at him. Many do not realise the free movement of labour in Europe has a lot to do with what we are seeing. The European Union directive on “posting of workers” made it possible since 1996 for workers in the EU to move freely and seek employment in any EU country without restrictions.

As harsh as it may sound, the people of Britain will have to realise that there is not much the government can do to protect their jobs. At least 80 percent of our laws are made in Brussels. We may not have the European currency but we are in effect under the government of the United States of Europe. We have a British government but the majority of our “apparatus of state”, have almost been eliminated.

In the past 10 yrs, Britain and many other affluent countries in the European Union have seen an influx of workers from countries on the lower end of the European Union who seek low paid work. This has increased resentment from skilled workers in Britain who feel sidelined by the government which they feel should protect them.

As the government grapples with the problem which could escalate as the recession deepens further, there are fears that opting for a protectionist approach will worsen the economic situation in Britain.

Many economic historians are aware that continuing with free movement of goods and services in the form is labour, is the only solution needed to tackle this global economic problem. Protectionism could inevitably lead us into a depression. Are we seeing the end of globalisation as many countries seek to protect their own interests?