Along with over 200 organisations, including charities, businesses, sports, faith and arts groups, we signed an open letter to the UK’s home secretary, Shabana Mahmood, urging the government not to “play into the hands of those seeking to build division.”
The letter was published in the Guardian on Friday 5 December.
Last month, Mahmood unveiled a package of measures aimed at curbing what she described as bogus asylum claims and reducing small-boat crossings. These include ending permanent protection for refugees, accelerating the removal of families with children whose claims have been refused, and scrapping the legal duty to support destitute people seeking asylum. The reforms would also formally end refugees’ automatic right to family reunion, which had already been suspended in September.
We said:
In communities up and down the country, we are proud to show warmth and kindness to refugees … We know that your cruel new plans do not represent us, our communities or who we are as a country.
You said it was a moral mission to resolve division. We agree. The responsibility to end the divisive politics, racist rhetoric and demonising language of the past lies with all political leaders. Your ruthless new plans to erode refugee rights and the harmful language used by politicians in recent weeks will only feed the hostility in our communities. We know, given the chance, refugees do so much to enrich our communities.
People who have fled the horror of war and persecution, suffering terrible trauma, need support to heal and rebuild their lives. Instead, this government is choosing cruelty over compassion. We – communities across the UK – are standing together to reject your plans. Now is not the time to play into the hands of those seeking to build division between local communities and refugees.
Read the full letter and list of signatories
