Over 160 cross-party councillors call on the government to reverse its ‘harmful’ immigration reforms
The councillors have said Shabana Mahmood's immigration changes "risk causing great harm and fractures in our society and communities"
More than 160 cross-party councillors have signed a joint statement condemning the government’s plans to introduce much stricter immigration rules.
The statement coordinated by the Migrant Champions Network criticises Shabana Mahmood’s “earned settlement” plans which would double and, in some cases, triple the time migrants have to wait to qualify for settlement from the current five-year period.
The home secretary has also vowed to make refugee status temporary and subject to review every 30 months.
The government has said the changes will be applied retrospectively to those already in the UK.
This means around 1.35 million people already living and working in the country would be affected by the changes.
The group of 163 Labour, Green, Lib Dem and independent councillors from all across the country said they “cannot and will not be silent about policies and actions which affect the people and communities we represent and which make their lives harder in a way that benefits no-one”.
Regarding the longer qualifying periods for settlement and making refugee status temporary, the councillors said: “This creates a two-tier society where some of our residents would be permanently in a provisional situation, unable to plan for their future, invest in their communities, or ever feel truly secure.”
They also called the government’s plans to deny family reunification and allow force to be used against children including for them to be handcuffed and violently separated from their parents “abhorrent”.
“We have a duty of care and safeguarding to our communities, especially children and the vulnerable, and this is abhorrent,” the statement said.
The councillors are calling on the government to “reverse these policies and actions, which risk causing great harm and fractures in our society and communities”.
Griff Ferris, co-ordinator of the Migrant Champions Network and advocacy and campaigns manager at the Joint Councillor for the Welfare of Immigrants, said: “This government’s policies and rhetoric are not only deeply harmful to our communities, they are also dangerous, and are facilitating and inciting the racism and violence we have seen from openly fascist far-right groups this year and throughout the last three years.
“Thankfully, local councillors and authorities are standing up for their residents against this government’s racist and divisive immigration agenda. The government must listen to these local representatives all around the country and reverse change course”.
Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward
Left Foot Forward doesn't have the backing of big business or billionaires. We rely on the kind and generous support of ordinary people like you.
You can support hard-hitting journalism that holds the right to account, provides a forum for debate among progressives, and covers the stories the rest of the media ignore. Donate today.
Donate today
