Top Menu

Asylum Matters Yorkshire and Humber update, 2nd Match 2022: Advocacy, resources & campaigns

via Mary at Asylum Matters

  1. Ongoing advocacy

Situation in Ukraine

Our thoughts are with everyone affected by the situation in Ukraine, which demonstrates once again how people can be forced to flee for safety overnight. The sector’s response included a joint letter of 50 charities, NGOs and aid agencies urging the UK Government to show leadership in supporting the people of Ukraine, which received coverage in the Times and BBC. The impact of the anti-refugee Bill on those fleeing the Russian invasion was also made clear in pieces from Freedom From Torture in the Independent; Refugee Council in the Guardian; by former Home Secretary David Blunkett in the Mirror; and former Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, in the Times, among others. 

 

The Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, promised that Britain ‘will receive those who are fleeing in fear of persecution’ from Ukraine. The Home Secretary later announced a ‘bespoke humanitarian support package for Ukrainians,’ including:

  • relaxing visa rules to remove the ‘usual language requirements and salary thresholds’ so that family members can join British nationals and settled persons in the UK, with the expectation that an additional 100,000 Ukrainians could be eligible. 
  • Establishing an ‘expansive Ukrainian Family Scheme’ so that British nationals and people settled in the UK can bring a wider group of family to the UK, including parents, grandparents, adult offspring and siblings. 
  • Establishing a ‘humanitarian sponsorship pathway’ opening up a route for Ukrainians without family ties but ‘who are able to match with individuals, charities, businesses, and community groups.’

If you would like to promote campaigning actions in support of Ukrainian refugees:

  • Refugee Action has launched an ‘Email your MP’ action calling for more routes to safety, as well as removing Clause 11 of the Nationality & Borders Bill. You can share here
  • Freedom From Torture has launched a petition on change.org also asking for a comprehensive humanitarian response and removing Clause 11 of the Bill. 

Nationality and Borders Bill

The Report Stage of the Nationality and Borders Bill, where the House of Commons will now consider amendments from the Lords, began this week and will continue on the 2nd and 8th of March. You can see all amendments here and the latest on the Bill here

In the last two weeks, both the Senedd and the Scottish Parliament have voted against the Bill, refusing to give it legislative consent. Following the vote in the Senedd, the Welsh Government Communities Minister wrote to the UK Government Immigration Minister to set out the Welsh Government’s opposition to the Bill and demands for changes to its implementation in Wales, which she says will be ‘severely damaging’.

In addition:

  • Organised by the brilliant These Walls Must Fall, protesters gathered in Halifax this weekend to protest against the Anti-Refugee Bill. You can help spread the word about the protest by retweeting photos and film from the protest here and here.
  • Over 1000 leaders of all faiths, from all parts of the UK, have urged the Prime Minister to urgently rethink the Bill in a letter published this week, with faith leaders gathering in Manchester and Westminster to make clear their united opposition to the Bill. 
  • Together with Refugees have published a round-up of all the Valentine’s Day actions across the UK, with over 90 MPs receiving messages from their constituents calling for a fairer, more effective approach to supporting refugees. 
  • Amnesty International UK have launched a new video and campaign highlighting how the Bill will drive an increase in people smuggling. Add your name to their letter to the Prime Minister

You can take action to:

  • Sign the joint Yorkshire statement in support of refugees: Last chance to sign this joint statement before we publish this week, please get in touch if your organisation has not signed but would like to!
  • Fight the anti-refugee Bill in our communities: Communities across the country continue to oppose the Bill and you can find a round-up on our blog of all the opposition so far. If you’d like to call on your national, regional or local decision-makers to speak out publicly against the Bill, you can find a guide on how to engage your local leaders on the Bill here and a template council motion here. If you’d like to chat through taking action in your area, please get in touch with me.
  • Join the Together with Refugees Landmark action – 21 March: Together with Refugees are encouraging supporters to collect and assemble signs of support for refugees from their communities and display these as orange hearts on a local landmark in a variety of creative ways. They are holding a webinar on 2 March at 5.30pm to help plan events and provide an update on the bill with speakers from One Strong Voice, City of Sanctuary and a local activist group. Register here.

Lift the Ban

On Monday night, during the report stage in the House of Lords, peers debated and passed Baroness Stroud’s amendment to the Nationality and Borders Bill that would give people seeking asylum the right to work after six months, unrestricted by the Shortage Occupation List. The cross-party amendment was supported by peers from across the house, with a split of 112 to 89 votes in favour, including 10 Conservative peers who rebelled against the Government.  

This is a brilliant outcome and we are so proud of all campaigners who fought tirelessly to raise their voices and build support for the campaign, giving peers the tools to win the argument. You can read the debate here, or watch back on Parliament TV here (from 9.45pm). While the vote in the Lords was highly significant, the Bill must of course return to the House of Commons before it becomes law. 

Lift the Ban coalition members have also shared some highlights from the debate on their social media here and here, while Baroness Bennett shared her own speech in which she quoted Lift the Ban campaigner Mamoud: “It would make our lives meaningful and useful at the same time if we could work”. You can also share the short video created for social media to celebrate this milestone, by retweeting Asylum Matters or Refugee Action.

TAKE ACTION: The Lift the Ban coalition has just launched a Tweet Your MP action that asks MPs to give their support to #LiftTheBan. As part of this, there are two new animations available based on the many stories Lift the Ban ambassadors have shared over the years (you can download the animations here).


  1. Home Office and Government developments

Welsh Government’s consultation on measuring the inclusion of migrants in Wales
The Welsh Government has launched a new consultation on how to measure the inclusion of migrants in Wales. It is seeking key stakeholders to facilitate focus groups within their local areas to encourage people who have made Wales their home to give their views, collate and then respond to the consultation on their behalf.  To help with any costs (e.g. interpretation), the Welsh Government will provide a £500 one-time grant to organisations who facilitate these sessions. 


  1. Resources, events, jobs and training

Jobs

  1. What we’ve been reading and listening to
  • Migrants Organise and Speak Up Radio have a new podcast called Losing Myself: Mental Health in a Hostile Environment, seeking to highlight the mental health impacts of the immigration system and hostile environment policies. The powerful first episode explores the journey asylum seekers take and its impacts.
  • This Imix piece to mark LGBT history month on the long history of LGBT migration and the experiences of LGBT refugees.
Comments are closed.

Hosted by Totaal