The Illegal Migration Bill

The IIllegal Migration Bill is currently passing through the Houses of Parliament and you can follow it's progress on the UK Parliament website (here)

The Bill provides for automatic deportation of anyone entering the UK illegally, even if they are genuine refugees. The 1951 Refugee Convention to which the UK is a signatory provides for automatic refugee status for anyone entering the UK, irrespective of how they get here, if they have a well-founded fear of persecution in their home country.

Genuine refugees often don't have all the right paperwork when they throw themselves on the mercy of another country; they have often left their home country in rather chaotic circumstances. A humane and civilised refugee system would provide safe, legal routes for refugees to enter the country.

At present there are no such safe, legal routes outside the specific, limited schemes applying to refugees from Ukraine, Syria and Afghanistan; and the UK Government has no plans to create any. The Government's own figures show that many of those entering the UK in small boats are subsequently adjudged to be genuine refugees. In addition, Modern Slavery Act protections regarding trafficking etc will be denied to those entering the country illegally, just when people need them most.

As many international and human rights bodies have commented, the UK can, and should, do better than this. 

Amnesty's explanation and view of the Bill can be found here

Collaboration with Chipping Norton Group

We have been working with the Chipping Norton Group and have produced a joint letter that was published in the Banbury Guardian, Oxford Mail and various parish publications. See the attachment below for a copy.

Both groups are calling on the Government to implement seven principles for a effective, humane and civilised system for refugees and asylum-seekers.

An effective, humane and civilised system for dealing with refugees and asylum-seekers will:

• provide safe, legal routes to the UK
• judge applications on merit, not by how people arrive here
• permit asylum seekers to work in order to support themselves
• embody a humane approach to family reunion
• minimise the use of detention
• process asylum applications efficiently
• uphold international law