Labour urged to scrap dangerous anti-refugee laws
Labour must urgently scrap dangerous anti-refugee laws that will push refugees into homelessness and destitution, says Scottish Greens Human Rights spokesperson, Maggie Chapman MSP.
A new report published today by the National Audit Office found that, despite promising to fix the system, Labour’s new asylum reforms could instead force more refugees into homelessness.
This comes after the Labour Government cut the amount of time a newly granted refugee has to move out of Home Office accommodation down from 56 days to 28 days earlier this year, despite warnings that this will exacerbate homelessness.
Commenting, Maggie said:
“It’s clear that this Labour Government has no interest in building a refugee protection system that works for people seeking safety and the communities that welcome them.
“Instead, they’ve opted for cruel and divisive policies straight out of the Reform playbook, all of which will inflict further harm on refugees and the communities they live in. Destitution and human misery will be the result.
“The National Audit Office has warned that these new draconian plans from the Labour Government could force refugees into homelessness and legal limbo. But let’s be clear. These are not “unintended consequences.”
“For decades, successive Westminster Governments have used refugees as a convenient scapegoat for political failures, destroying our refugee protection system piece by piece.
“Communities across Scotland have welcomed refugees for decades - and the New Scots that have built their homes here have enriched every town and city across our country.
“They all deserve so much better than an asylum system designed for headlines, rather than protection and security.
“It’s beyond time for Labour to scrap these ridiculous proposals, and finally give Scotland the powers we need to build a fair and humane asylum system fit for a just and welcoming Scotland.”