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Second Reading passes the Anti Refugee Bill

Second Reading passes the Anti Refugee Bill

The two day debate on the Nationality and Borders Bill is now available online and you can read the full debate on each day here:  Monday 19th and Tuesday 20th July.   It was passed with 366 votes in favour and 265 against. 

Refugee Action posted a brilliant thread on their Twitter feed with short clips of the interventions made by various opposition MPs. It is worth a look and retweet to hear some of the arguments against the Bill and the show of support for the campaign against the bill from MPs. It includes:

Bambos Charalambous, Shadow Home Office Minister said “This bill is case of sentence first, verdict afterwards… criminalise them first and check the claim later.”
Nick Torfaen called it a “charter for human trafficking. A missed opportunity that represents the worst of all worlds.”
Stuart McDonald said “Vulnerable children, stateless children and victims of trafficking will all pay a penalty. Nowhere is the retreat from international law, international cooperation and basic human decency more apparent than in the absolute trashing of the refugee convention.”
Bell Ribeiro-Addy after outlining the issues of the hostile environment that leaves people without documentation; the unsafe accommodation; lack of safe routes, and bureaucratic hurdles siad “This horrendous piece of legislation, hailed as a solution, does nothing to resolve these issues.“
Anna McMorrin– “It’s little more than political gesturing of the worst kind. But it’s worse than that, pandering to far right politics, stirring up resentment, fear and division because the system isn’t working for them. This really is the nastiest, most vicious of politics.”

Theresa May said “We must not send the message that somebody genuinely fleeing persecution whose only route out of that persecution is to the UK will automatically be seen as a criminal.”

Caroline Nokes, Former Immigration Minister  reminded the House that “behind every visa application, every asylum claim and every journey to the shores of the UK there is a personal story – an individual,”

Meantime several faith leaders and other dignitaries called for compassion and more safe routes in The Times letters page.

The Refugee Council have a a very readable blog – Nationality & Borders Bill – what we learnt from the second reading which we recommend sharing on your social media.

 

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