Photo credit: www.theguardian.com
Labour Members Critique Government’s Migration Policies
A collective of over 900 Labour party members and trade unionists, including MPs and peers, have voiced strong condemnation against the government’s migration and asylum policies, which they claim are reflective of the “performative cruelty” seen under previous Conservative administrations.
In a recently issued joint statement, the group specifically denounced the Home Office’s new directive, announced last week, which denies citizenship to individuals who reach the UK through “dangerous journeys,” such as crossing the English Channel in small boats.
The statement further criticized ministers for their focus on showcasing the high number of individuals being deported, particularly through a promotional campaign by the Home Office that included graphic footage of deportation flights.
This statement was spearheaded by the Labour Campaign for Free Movement, along with the left-aligned Labour group Momentum. Notable signatories include seven Labour MPs—Nadia Whittome, Diane Abbott, Bell Ribeiro-Addy, Clive Lewis, Jon Trickett, Brian Leishman, and Steve Witherden—alongside four former Labour MPs now serving as independents, and four party peers.
The text of the statement reads, “Last week, the government released videos of deportations, reiterated its objective to criminalize irregular arrivals, and instituted a ban that prevents these individuals from ever acquiring British citizenship.”
It continues, “These actions replicate the failed Tory government’s approach that was rightfully rejected by voters last July. Moreover, they violate the UK’s international commitments to uphold asylum claims and ensure safe passage for asylum seekers.”
The statement argues, “Migrants contribute significantly to the enrichment of our society in myriad ways. Politicizing anti-migrant sentiments will not resolve pressing issues such as housing shortages, healthcare staffing, or wage increases. Instead, by mirroring this rhetoric, the government risks inadvertently bolstering the support for Reform UK.”
Additionally, the group called upon Labour leadership to recognize that achieving electoral success hinges on addressing the needs of the majority, advocating for an end to austerity measures, tackling the climate crisis, and promoting solidarity within working-class communities.
There have been warnings from within the party that a strategy aimed at countering the influence of Reform UK through stringent immigration rhetoric may prove counterproductive. Earlier this month, Labour responded to pressures with advertisements echoing Reform-style themes that highlighted deportation statistics.
On Sunday, Christina McAnea, the general secretary of Unison, along with nine bishops from the Church of England, joined 148 other signatories in a letter expressing concern that the proposal to strip most asylum seekers of their citizenship would incite division and exacerbate hostility towards migrant accommodations.
The letter urged Minister Yvette Cooper to “reconsider the decision to effectively bar tens of thousands of refugees from attaining British citizenship.”
Source
www.theguardian.com