09Feb 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
New IPPR report shows Hostile Environment must go

New IPPR report shows Hostile Environment must go

Parliamentary news
Responding to the Institute for Public Policy Research’s new report, ‘Beyond the Hostile Environment’, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Alistair Carmichael said:“As this report shows, the UK’s immigration system is broken and it is hurting us all. The appalling Windrush Scandal should have been the end of the Hostile Environment, but despite their apologies the Conservatives have kept their cruel, discriminatory policies in force. “People who have every right to live in the UK are wrongfully denied healthcare, made homeless, detained and even deported. Public confidence in the system has been shattered. This has to stop. “We owe it to the victims of the Windrush Scandal to ensure that nothing like it ever happens again. That’s why Liberal Democrats are fighting to scrap the Hostile Environment and build a fair…
Read More
11Dec 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Changes to the Immigration Rules another breach of international law

Parliamentary news
Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Alistair Carmichael has slammed the Government’s latest changes to the Immigration Rules as “against everything the UK stands for” and “yet another breach of international law”. The changes, which will allow the Home Office to reject asylum applications if the person has passed through another “safe” country on their way to the UK. Alistair Carmichael said: “The UK has a proud history of providing sanctuary to those in need, but now the Conservative Government is turning its back on refugees. “This latest nasty policy from Priti Patel goes against our commitments under the Refugee Convention and against everything the UK stands for. It’s yet another breach of international law by this irresponsible Tory Government. “Everyone wants to stop people making dangerous attempts to cross the…
Read More
09Oct 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Government must grant EU citizens proof of settled status

Government must grant EU citizens proof of settled status

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats are calling on the Government to grant EU citizens the automatic right to stay in the UK, with the physical proof they need, as new Home Office figures reveal thousands are being refused and 1.8 million have not been granted the right to stay permanently. The latest EU Settlement Scheme statistics, which were published this morning, revealed 16,600 people have been refused Settled Status – including 5,700 in September alone. They also revealed that 1.6 million have only been granted temporary ‘Pre-Settled Status’ and 180,000 are still waiting for a decision. On Monday, the House of Lords passed a Liberal Democrat amendment to the Government’s Immigration Bill which would require the Government to provide EU citizens with physical proof of their Settled Status. The party is urging…
Read More
06Oct 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Lords defeat Government on Immigration Bill

Lords defeat Government on Immigration Bill

Parliamentary news
The Government has been defeated on the Immigration Bill, including amendments from the Liberal Democrats to protect the rights of British nationals living in the EU and EU citizens in the UK. An amendment from Baroness Hamwee to preserve the right of UK nationals living in the EU to bring non-British family members with them if they return to the UK was passed. Another amendment also passed, tabled by Liberal Democrat peer Jonny Oates, to force the Government to provide EU citizens in the UK who are granted Settled or Pre-Settled Status with physical proof of their migration status – instead of the digital-only proof under the Government’s current system. Following the votes, Liberal Democrat peer Baroness Sally Hamwee said: “The UK’s immigration system is broken, and it is hurting…
Read More
01Sep 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Bill introduced to give health and care workers right to remain

Bill introduced to give health and care workers right to remain

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats will today introduce a Bill calling on the Government to offer indefinite leave to remain to foreign nationals currently working in the health and social care sectors.Home Affairs Spokesperson Christine Jardine, who is moving the Ten Minute Rule Bill, has warned it is unacceptable that people who put their lives on the line during Covid-19 should not be welcome to stay. The Liberal Democrats have secured cross-party support from Labour, Conservative, SNP, Green, Plaid, DUP and Alliance MPs. Ahead of the Bill’s reading on Tuesday, Ms Jardine said: “Foreign nationals in the NHS have been on the frontline in protecting us from Covid-19, putting themselves at risk and in many cases paying the ultimate price. “Their skills have been vital to all of us throughout this crisis. The least we can do now…
Read More
13Jul 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Government’s destructive immigration plans will cause chaos and confusion

Parliamentary news
Responding the publication of further details about the Government's points-based immigration system, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Christine Jardine said: “These Conservative immigration plans will be a disaster for the small businesses that power the UK economy, just as they are struggling to survive the coronavirus crisis. “Key sectors like construction and hospitality, already facing enormous challenges, will face staffing shortages. The existing social care crisis will get even worse as there is so little time to prepare for this new system. “Given the shortage of time and the mountain of red tape that everyone including the Home Office will face, far from restoring public confidence in the immigration system, this will just cause chaos and confusion. “Liberal Democrats will oppose Priti Patel’s destructive policies and continue our fight for…
Read More
13Jul 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

“Outrageous” social care exclusion from Govt’s new Health and Care Visa

Parliamentary news
Responding to the Government’s decision to exclude social care workers from the new Health and Care Visa and the entire “skilled worker” route under the new points-based system, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs spokesperson Christine Jardine said:  “It is utterly outrageous that Boris Johnson's Government has pretended to prioritise social care during the COVID-19 crisis, only to announce that these vital key workers will be excluded from the so-called "Health and Care Visa". "Without our social care workers, the most vulnerable in our society would suffer immeasurably. And yet their work is not deemed of sufficient value to this callous Conservative Government. This is a deeply short-sighted move that risks stretching the sector to breaking point, with 120,000 vacancies to fill. "Priti Patel might consider social care workers to be unskilled, but…
Read More
22Jun 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Mark Windrush Day by giving the right to remain to all NHS workers, Lib Dems say

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats are marking Windrush Day by renewing calls on the Government to give all NHS and social care workers who have worked in the UK during the coronavirus pandemic indefinite leave to remain. Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Christine Jardine urged Ministers to make clear by backing these calls that “those who have put their lives at risk for our country are welcome to live in it.” The Royal College of Nursing are also calling for reform, citing statistics from the Nursery and Midwifery Council which shows more than 10% of the total registered nursing workforce in the UK come from overseas. Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Christine Jardine said: “Thousands of the doctors, nurses and support staff who work in our NHS – the people on the…
Read More
21May 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

New stats show damaging impact of Priti Patel’s nasty immigration rhetoric

Parliamentary news
Responding to today’s migration figures from the Office of National Statistics, which show that the number of EU citizens coming to work in the UK has fallen to its lowest level since 2004, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Christine Jardine said: “Now more than ever, we should be celebrating the enormous contributions that workers from all over the world make to our NHS and social care. We should welcome those who want to come here and be part of rebuilding Britain. But the nasty rhetoric from Priti Patel and her Conservative colleagues has made too many EU citizens feel unwelcome in the UK. “That is both shameful and hugely damaging to our economy, our society and our public services. With the NHS facing a shortage of 40,000 nurses and social care also…
Read More
29Apr 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Home Office inaction risks COVID-19 crisis at detention centres

Parliamentary news
Following the Government's response to the Annual inspection of ‘Adults at Risk in Immigration Detention’ (2018–19), which the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration described as "disappointing", Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Christine Jardine said: “Locking people up for months on end – without giving them any idea how long they’ll be detained – is clearly inhumane. It’s also expensive and unnecessary. “The Conservative Government’s refusal to act with urgency on vulnerable people in immigration detention is unacceptable. It is shameful that Ministers took nine months to publish and respond to the independent inspector’s report, and that they refused to accept even its relatively timid recommendations. “During the coronavirus pandemic, the Home Office’s inaction is even more dangerous. Given the risks of outbreaks within detention centres and zero chance of…
Read More