More than 200 refugee charities have written to Prime Minister Andy Burnham, urging him to abandon what they describe as 'failed gimmicks' in asylum policy. The letter, signed by organisations including Doctors of the World UK, Freedom from Torture, City of Sanctuary and the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI), calls for a complete rethink of key measures.
Charities demand rejection of refugee tax and military housing
The groups specifically ask Mr Burnham to scrap plans for a £10,000 'refugee tax', stop housing asylum seekers on former military sites, allow them to work, and challenge harmful rhetoric. They also want more safe routes, including family reunion. The letter states: 'Every successive effort to ramp up hostility towards refugees has failed to boost public confidence or political success for the Governments who have taken this approach, while the people we support suffer the consequences of these misguided bids for political gain. We have witnessed first hand the human cost.'
Nathan Phillips: 'Cruel, impractical gimmicks waste public money'
Nathan Phillips, head of campaigns at Asylum Matters, said: 'We’ve seen Government after Government try to solve the problems in our asylum system with more hostility, and it simply hasn’t worked. From the Rwanda plan to the new refugee tax, every new cruel, impractical gimmick has done nothing but waste public money and cause yet more suffering for people seeking sanctuary, all while enboldening racist agitators and undermining the togetherness of our communities.' He added: 'Our message to Andy Burnham is simple: you don’t have to keep doing this. It’s perfectly possible to build an asylum system with welcome at its heart that is both efficient and cost effective.'
Home Secretary defends reforms
Last week Mr Burnham signalled the government will not change course by re-appointing Shabana Mahmood as Home Secretary. Ms Mahmood has introduced the Immigration and Asylum Bill, which includes making refugee status temporary with assessments every two-and-a-half years, a £10,000 fee for those allowed to stay, and a potential 20-year wait for indefinite leave to remain. She argues the measures will protect the asylum system for a generation. However, charities say the fee penalises refugees for delays, and 80 Labour MPs have urged the PM to water down the reforms.
Charities call for independent Channel deaths inquiry
In their letter, the charities also call for an independent inquiry into the use of UK taxes in escalating border violence and deaths in the English Channel. They wrote: 'Racist far-right agitators have been emboldened: we’ve witnessed escalating violence against refugees and racialised people and the erosion of community cohesion. Evidence-based solutions and international law have been dismissed in favour of gimmicks that waste taxpayers’ money whilst damaging public confidence and the UK’s international reputation.'
Government response
A Home Office spokesperson said: 'The UK has a proud history of providing protection to those most in need, but our immigration system must balance compassion, control and contribution. That must start with protecting our borders. We will always offer protection to those fleeing persecution, which is why we recently announced that the rollout of new safe and legal routes for refugees will begin in the autumn. The Immigration and Asylum Bill will bear down on abuse of the asylum system, whilst reforming human rights laws to preserve protection for those in need.'
