Each Friday, we bring you a roundup of how our work is having an impact on both local communities and the national conversation. Read on to find out more…
The Importance of Safe Routes
A group of parliamentarians from different parties, known as an All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) released a report earlier this week. In it, they urged the Government to improve safe and legal routes for refugees. News of the report was covered by both the Mirror and the Independent. Our Patron, Lord Alf Dubs, wrote this opinion piece in the Mirror. He said:
The government’s new Border Security Bill targets the smuggling gangs, but enforcement alone will not reduce deaths in the Channel.
Legionella found in asylum accommodation
Our Executive Director of Communications and External Affairs, Imran Hussain, commented on the news that legionella bacteria were found in asylum accommodation RAF Wethersfield. Speaking to I News, he said:
The residents need to be properly informed and supported as soon as possible. Just like with the Bibby Stockholm, this shows serious issues with the use of large-scale accommodation sites. People seeking asylum in the UK have already experienced trauma and hardship. They deserve safe, dignified, and humane accommodation while their cases are being processed.
The Government introduced the new Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill
A New Bill
The Government introduced the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill on the 30 January. Our response to the Bill was covered by BBC News online, the Guardian, the Huff Post, The Times, iNews, Sky News, and the Human Rights Blog. Our CEO, Enver Solomon, said of the Bill:
Criminalising men, women and children who have fled conflicts in countries such as Sudan does not disrupt the smuggling gangs’ business model. When a refugee is clambering into a boat with an armed criminal threatening them, they are not thinking about UK laws but are simply trying to stay alive.
Our Senior Public Affairs Advisor, Hayden Banks also spoke to BBC South East about the Bill (at 5:20).
You can read our full response here.
Our Broken System
In this piece from Digit News, they outline the problems with the UK’s eVisa System. The Government was keen to rollout the new system, saying that it would modernise border control. However, it has been marked by glitches and delays. The article cites this briefing paper which we published in October 2024. In that paper, we showed the issues that people would face under the rollout, including access to bank accounts, housing and benefits.
The Islington Tribune wrote this article on the backlog in the asylum system. They quoted our projected statistic that the asylum backlog would stand at more than 118,000 this month.
We’ll be back next week with more news! In the meantime, take a look at our blog for more news, stories and information.■
