Responding to the vote in the Lords this evening to remove Clause 11 of the Nationality and Borders Bill, Enver Solomon, CEO of the Refugee Council, said:

 “This is a victory for compassion, humanity and the rights of refugees. The House of Lords is standing up for those in need of protection, however they arrive on our shores.

“Peers aren’t prepared to see this Government undermine a key principle of refugee protection – that we should not discriminate against refugees based on how they travel. People desperately fleeing war and persecution should always have a fair hearing on British soil.

“Clause 11 would be devastating for many refugees.  We would see the creation of a highly precarious group of refugees, with restricted rights, unable to properly integrate or plan for their futures, constantly at risk of being reassessed for removal and enduring prolonged separation from their family.

“We urge the Government to take heed of what has happened in the Lords today and remove this harmful clause from the Bill.”