Refugee Week: Scotland must stand up for refugees
The Scottish Government must challenge the UK Labour Government’s plans to extend refugee camps and displace people living in hotels, say the Scottish Greens.
Scottish Greens MSP Maggie Chapman wrote to the Cabinet Secretary for External Affairs, Angus Robertson, calling on him to use his influence to make it clear that Scotland believes the UK Government’s plans for migrant camps are morally wrong.
The SNP wrote to Westminster last year while the Conservatives were still in power, making clear its position in favour of using hotels over “large sites” such as camps or boats. In the letter, the Scottish Government described these as “unsuitable and entirely counter to integration principles.”
In her letter to Angus Robertson, Maggie has called on the Scottish Government to stand “firmly and vocally” against these plans, to maintain Scotland’s history as a welcoming, compassionate country for people rebuilding their lives after fleeing their home country.
Maggie said:
“We must not surrender to the normalisation of anti-migrant hate. The majority of Scots want to live in a welcoming country, one that values people and community over scapegoating and exclusion.
“If the Scottish Government means what it says, that it wants to lead a progressive Scotland, then they must show it. It is time they stick to their words, represent the people of Scotland, and tell the UK Labour Government that we say “not in our name” to unsafe, dehumanising camps.
“Since dropping the commitment to introduce a Human Rights Bill for Scotland, the Scottish Government has to work hard to build back trust and show they really do stand up for people’s freedoms. The bare minimum they must do is prove that they are a cut above this spineless UK Labour Government.
Text of letter sent by Maggie Chapman to Angus Robertson, Cab Sec for External Affairs
Dear Angus,
Scotland has a long history of being a warm and welcoming home to the millions who live here. We have tried to uphold the principles of belonging and sanctuary in the Scottish Parliament, and you and I have both welcomed all that Scotland has done to protect the most vulnerable, including those seeking refuge here.
It is these shared values that prompt me to write to you today. As Cabinet Secretary for External Affairs and a proud representative of Scotland’s Parliament, I urge you to stand firmly and vocally against the UK Government’s proposals to displace refugees into asylum camps. Refugees have the same rights to dignity, respect and safety as everyone else. And asylum seekers, those fleeing persecution and violence, have the right to seek sanctuary and safety here. The proposed camps are in no way a solution to the issues of underfunded public services, the housing emergency or anti-social behaviour, for which immigrants and refugees are too often blamed.
It is not certain that these camps would save public money, and even if they do, they are still wrong - in terms of human rights and ethics. The human and social costs of these camps: disruption to local communities, increased threats to those forced into the camps, and negative mental health effects for those made unnecessarily vulnerable, cannot be justified.
Less than a year ago asylum hotels were attacked. Bricks and mortar served there as something to protect those inside, but they should be protected by a government who stands for them. Shirley-Anne Somerville wrote to the UK Government last year and made clear that the Scottish Government does not support using large sites, such as camps, to house refugees. I ask that you reaffirm that belief, and that you make it clear to this new UK Government.
The best thing that can be done to support asylum seekers out of hotels is to lower their barriers to integrating into society. From cruel policies like No Recourse to Public Funds and preventing access to work to lack of access to legal aid and other public services, asylum seekers are not supported to contribute to our society, never mind recover from the trauma they will have experienced before arriving in the UK. Asylum seekers want to contribute to public life but are being held back by policies crafted by those who most vocally criticise their inability to give back to the UK.
The majority of people support the UK being a safe haven for refugees. If we allow other narratives to dominate, we risk stoking the far-right tide that your own party has claimed is a threat to Scotland as we know it. You have the power to stand for something better.
This is a test of our principles and values. If we do not choose to stand for and with the most vulnerable, then we fail our moral duty as politicians to ensure Scotland is on the right side of history.
I look forward to your response.