Shabana Mahmood urged not to help those ‘seeking to build division’ | Immigration and asylum
Describing Shabana Mahmood’s plans to overhaul the asylum system as “draconian” and “draconian”, more than 200 social groups across the UK have called on the Home Secretary to “not play into the hands of those who seek to create division”.
Last month Mahmood announced policies he hoped would tackle bogus asylum claims and reduce the number of people trying to cross the Channel in small boats, including ending permanent protection for refugees, increasing removals of families with children whose claims are rejected and removing the legal obligation to support poor asylum seekers.
The changes will also formally end the automatic right to family reunification for refugees before it is suspended in September.
In an open letter seen by the Guardian, 225 organisations, including charities, business, sports, faith and arts groups, told Mahmood they “rejected” the plans.
They said: “We are proud to show warmth and kindness to refugees in communities across the country… We know that your cruel new plans do not represent us, our communities, or who we are as a country.
“You said it was a moral duty to resolve division. We agree. It is the responsibility of all political leaders to end the divisive politics, racist rhetoric and demonizing language of the past. Your brutal new plans to erode refugee rights and the harmful language politicians have used in recent weeks will only fuel the hostility in our communities. We know that, given the opportunity, refugees do much to enrich our communities.”
“People who have fled the horrors of war and persecution, who have suffered terrible trauma, need support to heal and rebuild their lives. Instead, this government is choosing cruelty over compassion. As communities across the UK, we stand together to reject your plans. Now is not the time to play into the hands of those who seek to create divisions between local communities and refugees.”
Signatories include African and Caribbean Support Organization Northern Ireland, nationwide branches of the charity Care4Calais, Fairtrade Greater Manchester, Govan Community Project, Toxteth Women’s Centre, West Cornwall Against Racism and City and Town of Sanctuary groups from places including Abergavenny, Barnsley, Birmingham, Calderdale, Hastings and Norwich.
Campaigners from some of the signatories were expected to attend the Home Office demonstration on Friday, a week ahead of solidarity events being held across the UK in collaboration with the Communities Alliance for Refugees, including Christmas markets, craft sessions, food and performances. Together with Refugees coalition. The public was invited to the meeting print your own posters as support.
Minda Burgos-Lukes, from community organizing network Refugees Together, said: “Through our work and personal experience, we see every day the courage of people forced to flee their homes and the compassion they face in our communities.
“The far-right marches and efforts to spread fear do not reflect what we are witnessing on the ground.”
In the preface policy document Outlining the plans, Keir Starmer said: “There is nothing merciful about allowing the disgusting trade of people smuggling that perpetuates illegal migration… The UK’s current asylum regime is a significant pull factor for this trade.”
In the same article, Mahmood said: “This country’s asylum system was designed for an older, simpler era and has not been updated to reflect our changing times.”
