​Key Talking Points

​

• I’m deeply concerned about the government’s new ‘Illegal Migration’ Bill, and am calling to ask you to oppose it in Parliament.

 

• Safe routes to the UK are few and far between. Home Office data shows that:

  • Last year, we resettled only 22 Afghans fleeing safety, whilst 8,633 were forced to cross the channel.

  • Over two-thirds of those who cross the channel are granted asylum.

 

• Instead of making safe routes available to all those who need them, the Government plans to strip people forced to cross the channel of their right to seek asylum.

  • A threat to the human rights of one group is a threat to us all - it sets a dangerous precedent.

 

• This bill gives the Home Secretary worrying powers to detain asylum seekers indefinitely and limit their possibility of appeal.

 

• Added to this, the Prime Minister’s announcements on Friday that he will invest half a billion pounds of taxpayer money to fund a new detention centre in northern France is both inhumane, and an insult to the British people.

  • It does not reflect our values of compassion and justice.

  • It will not ‘solve’ the ‘problem’ it purports to - deterrence policies have been shown not to work, and this policy has already been slammed for being unworkable.

  • It is an abhorrent waste of money in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis.

 

• As my MP, will you stand against this Bill when it comes before Parliament tomorrow?

  • Will you ask the Government to invest our money into opening safe routes and fixing the asylum system, rather than wasting it in the pursuit of inhumane plans?

 

Additional Statistics

 

The Government has described those crossing the channel as an ‘invasion’. 

• This is not only dangerous language, but factually incorrect:

  • Last year, 45,755 people crossed the channel. This is 0.067% of the population of the UK.

 

The Government repeatedly describes people as ‘bogus asylum seekers’.

• This is also factually incorrect:

  • Two thirds of those who cross the channel will have their asylum claim granted.

  • Nearly half of those who cross the channel came from just five countries - Afghanistan, Iran, Syria, Eritrea and Sudan. Three of these nationalities have asylum grant rates of 98%. The other two are 84% and 80%.

 

Safe routes are possible.

• Last year, over 220,000 Ukrainian refugees were granted protection in the UK under Home Office visa schemes.

• What is stopping the Government from doing the same for those fleeing war, conflict and persecution in other countries?