The government introduced the Nationality and Borders Bill to Parliament today. This landmark policy represents a worrying development as it will effectively remove the few available safe routes to claim asylum in the UK.
This bill risks exacerbating the two-tier immigration system and will make it significantly harder for people wanting to claim asylum in the UK. The SVP is extremely concerned about such a proposal as it undermines the right to claim asylum which is enshrined in the Refugee Convention, to which the UK is a signatory.
The SVP has been raising awareness about the dangers this new bill poses to the lives of thousands of people seeking safety in the UK. Most recently we coordinated a letter signed by over 300 faith leaders, community groups and churches, raising our concerns with the proposed changes.
We believe a fair immigration system should be built on principles of protection and should safeguard the dignity of people.
We will seek to influence the proposals in the Nationality and Borders Bill in the hope of creating an environment of welcome for people seeking sanctuary on our shores.
We will be sharing our full briefing and response to the Bill in due course.