In response to news that the Immigration Minister, Beverley Hughes, has resigned, Maeve Sherlock, Chief Executive of the Refugee Council said:

“We are sorry to hear of Beverley Hughes’s resignation.

“We recognise the contribution she has made in her role as Immigration minister to improving some of the Home Office systems. Although we sometimes disagreed on approach, we feel she shared our commitment to having a system that helps refugees in fear of their lives and deals effectively with those who have been fairly rejected.

“One of the lessons of this episode, and indeed of recent years, is that it is very difficult to have a sensible debate on immigration and asylum when the political temperature is at boiling point. Like other areas of public policy, there are no quick fixes here.

“We are only going to get the right solutions if we have a public debate concentrating on the real problems of the system. This requires political leadership not just from government but from all parties.”

Ends

Beverley Hughes has been replaced by Desmond Browne, MP for Kilmarnock & Loudoun

Read a report on Hughes’ resignation on BBCi

For press enquiries, contact the Press Officer on 020 7840 4404, email hannah.ward@refugeecouncil.org.uk

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