Today, 300 organisations and over 500 individuals have written to the incoming Prime Minister urging him to fix our broken asylum system and to protect, rather than punish, people seeking safety.
Dear Prime Minister,
Congratulations on your election results on 4th July and on forming the new Government. We look forward to working with you.
We are writing to you as grassroots organisations and individuals grounded firmly in our communities across the UK. We are proud to welcome people seeking safety. For years, we have stepped in to support people who have been targeted and brutalised by hostile policies. We are now calling on your Government to take a new approach: protecting people seeking safety, rather than punishing them for political gain.
The asylum system in the UK is fundamentally broken. Currently, people seeking asylum here, who have been forced from their homes due to war or persecution and made to endure perilous journeys to find safety, are barely surviving in poverty. Successive pieces of unworkable, cruel legislation have effectively extinguished the right to seek asylum in the UK, creating an ever-growing ‘perma-backlog’ of tens of thousands of people. Some are being retraumatised in open-prison camps on barracks or barges. Others are left in overcrowded hostels with their mental health deteriorating whilst they are banned from finding employment. And Channel fatalities are at unthinkable levels, with a 450% increase in deaths at our border in the past twelve months.
It doesn’t have to be this way.
We are recommending some clear and tangible steps that you can take as a new Government to fix our broken asylum system, so that people forcibly displaced from their homes can rebuild their lives in safety and dignity, find care and belonging in our communities, and participate in our economy and society.
We are calling on you to urgently:
- Restore the right to seek asylum in the UK in line with international law, by repealing the Illegal Migration Act and the Nationality and Borders Act;
- Open safe routes for people seeking asylum to reach the UK so that people are not forced to risk their lives in the Channel, including providing visa routes, enabling families to reunite safely, and rebuilding refugee resettlement;
- Abandon offshore processing, including the Rwanda scheme, and ensure that people are able to have their cases processed in the UK in a fair and timely way;
- Resolve the legal aid crisis and ensure that everyone has access to good quality legal advice;
- House people seeking asylum in communities, not camps, and close down all institutional accommodation including barracks, barges, hotels and hostels which cause unnecessary lasting harm at an eye-watering cost to the taxpayer whilst community-based accommodation is available;
- Restore the right to work for people seeking asylum within six months of arrival so people can rebuild their lives in dignity and contribute £1.2 billion to the UK economy;
- Increase asylum support rates so people seeking safety are not locked into poverty and forced to choose between essentials like food and toiletries;
- End the use of immigration detention which restricts people’s freedom and liberty and causes immense harm to people’s physical and mental health;
- End the use of harmful rhetoric aimed at people seeking asylum, which contributes to a hostile environment which includes violence by far-right groups, and instead lead by example by promoting messages of compassion and welcome towards people seeking safety.
We believe that you can begin the vital work of building a compassionate refugee protection system in your first 100 days as a new Government. We hope we can work together to fix our broken asylum system, uphold human rights and ensure people seeking safety are treated with respect and dignity.
Signed:
Organisations
Abigail Housing, Neal Heard, Co-CEO/Leeds Project Manager, and Amanda Church-Mcfarlane, Co-CEO/Bradford Project Manager
Acacia Path Ltd, Avril Edgar, Company Director
ACAP (Ashton Churches Asylum Project), Chris Wooff, Joint Head
Action for Refugees in Lewisham (AFRIL), Sophie Wickham, Executive Director
Action Foundation, Duncan McAuley, CEO
Africa Advocacy Foundation, Agnes Baziwe, CEO
African Rainbow Family, Aderonke Apata, Founder & CEO
After Exploitation, Maya Esslemont, Director
Age Friendly Manchester
Agenda Alliance, Indy Cross, Chief Executive
Amnesty Mid-Gloucester Branch, Chairperson
Angels of Freedom Leeds, Rob Wilson, Coordinator
Apna Haq, Zlakha Ahmed, Chief Executive
Asha North Staffordshire, Support Worker
ASSIST Sheffield, Anna Rudd, Director
Association of Visitors to Immigration Detainees (AVID), Gee Manoharan (Co-Director)
Asylum Aid, Alison Pickup, Executive Director
Asylum Link Merseyside, Ewan Roberts, Centre Manager
Asylum Matters, Lou Calvey, Executive Director
Asylum Support Appeals Project, Kat Lorenz, Director
Asylum Welcome, Mark Goldring, Director
Baobab Women’s Project CIC, Sarah Taal, Director and Policy Advocate
BARAC UK, Zita Holbourne, Co-founder and National Chair
Barnsley Borough City of Sanctuary, Secretary
BEACON (Bradford Ecumenical Asylum Concern), Sarah Jemison, Chair of Trustees
Bearwood Action For Refugees, Madeline Norris, Secretary
Birmingham City of Sanctuary, Shari Brown, Chair
Birmingham Schools of Sanctuary, Barbara Forbes, Local Lead
Boaz Trust, Ros Holland, Chief Executive
Borderlands, Caitlin Plunkett, Interim CEO
Bournville Amnesty, Astrid Laich, Secretary
Bradford and Shipley Trades Council, Christopher Butler on behalf of the EC
Bradford City of Sanctuary, Will Sutcliffe, Chair
Bradford Rape Crisis and Sexual Abuse Survivors Service, Katalina Balcomb, Refugee, Asylum Seeking and Trafficked Women’s Caseworker & Young Women and Girl’s Advocate
Bradford Refugee Forum, Carl White, Chair
Breadwinners, Martin Cosarinsky Campos, Managing Director
Brighton Exiled/Refugee Trauma Service, Sally R Munt, Clinical Director and Emeritus Professor
Brighton Migrant English Project, Maude Casey, Committee Member
Bristol City of Sanctuary, Susana Askew, Manager
Bristol Defend the Asylum Seekers Campaign, Jo Benefield, Campaign Coordinator
Bristol Refugee Rights, Danielle Johnson, CEO
Bromsgrove & District Asylum Seeker Support (B&DASS), Johannah Dyer, Chair
Bromsgrove and Redditch Welcome Refugees, Chair
Bromsgrove Justice and Peace Group, Secretary
CARAS, Eleanor Borwn, CEO
Care4Calais, Steven Smith, CEO
Care4Calais Liverpool, Simon Petty, Area Lead
Caritas Shrewsbury, Ben Gilchrist, Chief Executive
Catalyst, Riada, Migration Project Coordinator
Circus Eruption, Karen Chalk, Director
Citizens Advice Newcastle, Hannah Cooper, Research and Campaigns Manager
Citizens Advice North Lancashire, Joanna Young, CEO
Citizens Advice Staffordshire North and Stoke-on-Trent, Rachel Lancaster, Children’s Cohesion Worker
City of Sanctuary Sheffield, Melinda Mo-Martinez, Advocacy and System Change Coordinator
City of Sanctuary UK, Hannah Green, Campaigns Manager
CLEAR Project, Pete White, Project Manager
Columbans in Britain, Inter Religious Dialogue Coordinator
Community Policy Forum, Isobel Ingham-Barrow, CEO
Connected Routes CIC, Leyla McLennan, Founding Director
Conversation Over Borders, Colette Batten-Turner, CEO
Counterpoints Arts, Almir Koldzic, Director & Co-founder
Coventry Against Racism, Secretary
Coventry Refugee & Migrant Centre, Jackie Capitani, Supported Housing Manager
Craftspace, Emma Daker, Exhibitions & Project Development Manager
Craven District of Sanctuary, Chris Rose, Chair
D.A.R.A, Hilary Preidel, Member
Da’aro Youth Project, Yorsalem Feseha, Caseworker
DAR Darlington Assistance for Refugees, Fran Wood, CEO
DARA Deal Area Refugee Aid, Patricia Grist, Chair
DEED, Louise Boston-Mammah, Programme Coordinator
Denbighshire County of Sanctuary, Trustee
Derby Refugee Advice Centre, Wendy Cook, Volunteer
Derby Refugee Forum, Ruth Long
Derbyshire Refugee Solidarity, Julie James, Secretary and Volunteer Coordinator
Devon and Cornwall Refugee Support, Alex Vessis, CEO
Diss, Town of Sanctuary, Hervé Cachelin, Steering Committee Member
Doctors of the World UK, Simon Tyler, Executive Director
Doncaster Conversation Club, Chair of Trustees
Down to Earth Project, Kate Denner, Research Lead
East Hoathly Village of Sanctuary, Tom Serpell, Chair
East Meets West, Lindsey Graydon, Committee Member
Emerge Worldwide, Head of Operations
End Deportations Belfast, Organisers
End Violence Against Women Coalition, Andrea Simon, Executive Director
English for Action, Adela Belecova, Executive Team Member
ENTRAIDE, Felix Kupay, CEO
Evesham Vale Welcomes Refugees, Ros Gowers, Coordinator
EYST Wales, Lloyd Williams, Co-Director/Head of People & Governance
Father Hudson’s Society, Dave Newall, Migration Lead
Friends of the Drop-In (FODI) Sunderland, Fanni Ngambi, FODI Manager
Forced Migration and The Arts, Ambrose Musiyiwa, Coordinator
forRefugees, Amber Bauer, CEO
Forth Valley Welcome, Elizabeth Fairgrieve, Volunteer Coordinator
FORWARD, Naana Otoo-Oyortey
Free2-Bme LGBTQ+ Community Organisation, CEO
Freedom from Torture, Jack Williamson, Media and Communications Assistant
Friends without Borders (Portsmouth), Clare Mach, Caseworker
GARAS, Adele Owen, Director
Gateshead City of Sanctuary, Fatima Subhani
Gaza Families Reunited Campaign, Sabrina, Volunteer
GLADAN, Marion Bryans, Participant Member
Global Link, Gisela Renolds, Executive Director
Govan Community Project, Traci Kirkland, Head of Charity
Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit, Denise McDowell,CEO
Greater Manchester Law Centre, Jason Tetley, Director
Growing Together Levenshulme, Jaqui Cotton, Chair
Haringey Welcome, Lucy Nabijou, Coordinator
Harmony Choir Leeds, Andy Brown, Committee Member
Hastings Community of Sanctuary, Polly Gifford, Co-Chair
Hastings Supports Refugees, Jane Grimshaw, Convener
Hay, Brecon and Talgarth Sanctuary for Refugees, Ailsa Dunn, Secretary
Helen Bamber Foundation, Kerry Smith, CEO
Her Centre, Stacy Smith, CEO
Herefordshire City of Sanctuary, Chair of Management Committee
Herts for Refugees, Angus Clark, Chief Executive
HIAS+JCORE
Hope at Home, Helen Hodgson, Operations Director
Hope HousingChief Operations Officer
HOPE not hate, Anki Deo, Community Response Coordinator
Hope Projects, Phil Davis, Director
Housing Justice, Joe Rinvolucri, Refugee Lodgings Project Coordinator
Humans for Rights Network, Maddie Harris, Director
IMIX, Jenni Regan, CEO
Iraqi Association, Jabbar Hasan, Director
Islington Centre for Refugees and Migrants, Andy Ruiz Palma, Chief Executive
JCWI, Yasmin Halima, Executive Director
Jesuit Refugee Service UK, Sarah Teather, Director
Journey LGBT+ Asylum Group, Sheila Rushforth, Director
Just Futures Research Centre, University of Huddersfield, Dr Kate Smith, Senior Research Fellow
Justice First, Barbara Hungin, Chair of Trustees
JustRight Scotland, Sabrina Galella, Policy & Public Affairs Manager
Kairos Housing, Lisa Norcross, Project Manager
Kent Refugee Action Network (KRAN), Dr Razia Shariff, CEO
Knighton and District Refugee Support Group, L Stevens, Communications
La Fabulista, Director
LASS Lesbian Asylum Support Sheffield, River Wolton, Volunteer
Latin American Women’s Rights Service (LAWRS), Carolina Caicedo, Policy and Communications Manager on Labour Exploitation
Law Centre NI, Liz Griffith, Head of Policy & Research, Migration Justice Project
Law Centres Network, Nimrod Ben-Cnaan, Head of Policy and Profile
Learn English Together, Volunteer
Learn for Life Enterprise, Hayley Nelson BEM, Director
Leeds Asylum Seekers Support Network, Jon Beech, Director
Leicester City of Sanctuary, Pete Hobson, Chair
Lewisham Refugee and Migrant Network (LRMN), Alan Robertson, CEO
LGBT Health and Wellbeing, Mark Kelvin, CEO
Lifeline Options CIC, Project Manager
Louth Churches for Refugees, Trustee
Macc, Mike Wild, CEO
MaCO, Angel Kaleta, Chairperson
MakeAmplify Ltd, Jennifer Irons, Director
Manchester City of Sanctuary, Sarah McCarthy, Volunteer Placement Co-Ordinator
Manchester Migrant Solidarity, Aderonke Apata, Founder and Chairperson
Manchester Refugee Support Network, Alex Francis-Palmer
MAP Middlesbrough, Project Manager
South Yorkshire Migration and Asylum Action Group SYMAAG, Manuchehr Maleki
Mapperly Parish Council, Chairman
Mary Thompson Fund, Pete Widlinski, Chair of Trustees
Maryhill Integration Network, Pinar Aksu, Human Rights and Advocacy Coordinator
Maternity Action, Judith Dennis, Head of Policy
Merseyside Pensioners Association, Angela McEvoy, Member
Metropolitan Community Church of North London, Senior Pastor
Micro Rainbow, Sebastian Rocca, Founder and CEO
Middlesbrough Diocese Justice and Peace Commission, Barbara Hungin, Chair
Middlesbrough Voluntary Development Agency, John Atkinson, Community Development Worker
Migrant & Destitution Fund, Lutfor Rahman, Panel Chair
Migrant Voice Friends, Membre Edwige Assako Okomono
Migrateful, Jess Thompson, Founder & Co-CEO
Museum of Homelessness, Matthew Turtle, Director
Music Action International, Kayleigh Swanson, Development Manager
NACCOM, Bridget Young, Director
New Europeans UK, Dr Ruvi Ziegler, Chair
NIARA, Annetha Mills, Founder & CEO
No To Hassockfield, Helen Groom, Chairperson
North East Law Centre, Clare Hurst, Deputy Centre Director
North of England Refugee Service, Dr Mohamed Nasreldin, Director
Northumberland County of Sanctuary
Norwich City of Sanctuary, Claire Wood, Coordinator
Nottingham & Nottinghamshire Refugee Forum (NNRF), Debbie Royle
Nottingham Stand Up To Racism, Secretary
Oasis, Susie Ventris-Field, CEO
Oasis Church Inner Birmingham, Rob Hooper Pastor
One Life To Live, Nicola David, Founder
One Roof Leicester, Salma Ravat, CEO
Open Door North East, Anna Lewis (CEO)
Otley Road & Community Works, Jane Lees, CEO
Our Second Home, Amos Schonfield, CEO
Out in Cov, Jon Homer, Co-ordinator
Peace of Mind CIO, Sara Muzaffar, Trustee
Pendle New Neighbours, Paul Gauntlett, Trustee & Treasurer
PERN, Sarah Wilson, Director
Positive Action For Refugees and Asylum Seekers (PAFRAS), Karen Pearse, Director
Positive Action in Housing, Robina Qureshi, CEO
Praxis, Josephine Whitaker-Yilmaz, Policy and Public Affairs Manager
Quaker Asylum and Refugee Network, Fred Ashmore, Steering Group Member
Race Equality Network, Fatima and Projects and Communications Officer
Rainbow Migration, Carla Manso, Communications Manager
Rainbow Refugees NI, Niamh Rowan, Chair
RAMA (Refugee, Asylum seeker and Migrant Action), Elizabeth Long, Partnerships Coordinator
Reach Project, New North Road Baptist Church, Huddersfield, Ernie Whalley, Chair
RefuAid, Chief Operating Officer
Refugee Action, Tim Naor Hilton, Chief Executive
Refugee Council, Enver Solomon, Chief Executive
Refugee Futures, Heather Petch, CEO
Refugee Legal Support, Isaac Shaffer, Legal Director
Refugee Support Devon, Kiven Emmanuel (OISC Level 1 Immigration Adviser/Senior Drop-in Coordinator)
Refugee Support Group (Berkshire), Nick Harborne CEO
Refugee Welcome Homes, Rachael Bee, Director,
Refugee Women Connect/Sistersnotstrangers, Bosede Adufe Oluwole (BEA) Well Being
Refugee Youth Service, Jonny Willis, CEO
Refugee, Asylum Seeker and Migrant Action, Maria Wilby, Operational Lead
Refugees at Home, Lauren Scott, CEO
Rene Cassin, Lucja Jastrzebska, Communications Manager
Restore, a project of Birmingham Churches Together, Jeremy Thompson, Manager
RETAS Leeds, Roger Nyantou, Chief Executive
REUK, Hamid Khan, Education Welcome Project Officer
Revive CIO, Joseph Kiwango
Revoke CIC
Right to Remain, Eiri Ohtani, Director
Room to Heal, Dilara Harvey-Smith, Director
Routes, Tamana, Programme Manager
Runnymede Trust, Shabna Begum, CEO
Safe Passage International, Dr Wanda Wyporska, CEO
Saltburn and East Cleveland Befrienders, Judy Hewison, Secretary
Samphire, Charlotte Zosseder, Director
Sanctuary, Nora Ferguson
Santé Refugee Mental Health Access Project, Ruth Appleton, Director
SASS, Najet Najah, Volunteering to Teach English
SCARF (Stafford Campaign Against Racism and Fascism), Convenor
Schools of Sanctuary, Tessa McNab
Scottish Detainee Visitors, Kate Alexander, Director
Sikh Sanjog, Trishna Singh OBE, Founder/Director
Six Ways Baptist Church
Skipton Refugee Support Group, Charles Dobson, Chair
Social Action Group of Newcastle Reform Synagogue, Coordinator
Solace Surviving Exile and Persecution, Kathryn Ashworth, CEO
South Greenwich Forum, Judy Smith, Hon. Secretary
Southampton Action, Nikki Walters, Chair
Southampton and Winchester Visitors Group (SWVG), Mark Courtice, Chair of Trustees
Southeast and East Asian Centre (CIC), Executive Director
St Chad’s Sanctuary, Abigail Martin, CEO
St Thomas Church Asylum Seeker and Refugee Support System, Maja Moller, Coordinator
St. Augustine’s Centre, Becky Hellewell, Head of Support and Immigration
Stafford Welcomes Refugees, Faye Wyatt, Secretary
Stand and Be Counted Theatre, Rosie MacPherson, Artistic Director and Joint CEO
Stand up to Racism Portsmouth, Kimberley Knight, Volunteer
Stockton St Peter’s ESOL Group, Asylum Seeker Coordinator
Stories of Hope and Home, Stephanie Neville, Project Manager
Student Action for Refugees, Emily Crowley, Chief Executive
Student Action for Refugees, Birmingham, Kate O’Neill, President
Sunderland City of Sanctuary, Revd Chris Howson, Chair
Swansea Asylum Seekers Support (SASS), Sandra Morton, Volunteer and Chair of Trustees
Swansea City of Sanctuary, Hazel, Admin & Comms Officer
Swansea Women’s Asylum and Refugee Support Group, Jeni Williams, Chair
Tai Pawb, Alicja Zalesinska, Chief Executive
Tees Valley of Sanctuary, Sattinder Collins, Chair
The Art House, Sydney Thornbury, CEO
The Bike Project, Lizzie Kenyon, Chief Executive
The Birth Partner Project, Areatha Comanescu, Volunteer Coordinator
The Brigstowe Project, Patrick Graham, Migrant and Asylum Support Service
The Brunswick Centre, John McKernaghan, Chief Officer
The Clare Project, Red Fletcher, Public Involvement Officer and Aging Well Lead
The Dandelion Community, Revd Kate Gray, Church Minister
The Eagles Wing Mutual Support Group Bury, Sue Arnall, Volunteer and Treasurer
The Harmony with Nature Charitable Trust, Trustee
The Magpie Project, Sorcha Maynard, Family Support Worker
The Pankhurst Trust (inc Manchester Women’s Aid), Gail Heath, CEO
The Pickwell Foundation, Nicola Jenner, Communications and Events Lead
The VOICES Network, Coordinator
The William Gomes Podcast, William Gomes, Director
The CAE, Gustavo Moreno, Employment Support Officer
Together Now, Victor Iringere, Director
Trinity Centre, Fflur Angharad, Co-Ordinator
Tulia Group, Tendai, Volunteer
Tynemouth Together with Refugees, Penny Henry, Spokesperson
Ubuntu Women Shelter, Dania Thomas, Director
UK Must Act, Sarah El Hadj, UK Focal Point
Unite NW522, Margaret McAdam, Branch Member
United Reformed Church, West Midlands, The Revd Steve Faber, Synod Moderator
Voices in Exile, Mel Steel, Director
VOICES Network, Akeila Bermudez, Judith Nkwopara, and Niloha Rangel, Volunteers
Volunteering Bradford, Inclusive Volunteering Service, Steve Blackman, CEO
Waging Peace, Maddy Crowther, Co-Executive Director
Walking With in North Tyneside, Joan Hoult, CEO
We Are Survivors, Rebecca Didi, Trauma-Informed Therapist
Wearside Amnesty International, Bob Miller, Secretary
Welcome Churches, Emily Shepherd, CEO
Welcome Group Halesowen, Andrew Harwood, Project Manager
Welsh Centre for International Affairs, Hayley Richards, Head of Programme Development & Policy
Welsh Refugee Council, Andrea Cleaver, CEO
Welsh Women’s Aid, Sara Kirkpatrick, Chief Executive
West End Refugee Service (WERS), Andy Durma, Interim Chief Executive
West London Welcome, Leyla Williams, Deputy Director
West Wales Domestic Abuse Service
West Yorkshire Destitute Asylum Network (WYDAN), Ted Britton, Chair of Trustees
WILPF UK, Fiona McOwan, Secretary
Wolverhampton City of Sanctuary, Amanda Bevan, Volunteer Co-ordinator
Women Asylum Seeker Manchester, Imade R Alueboh, Management Member
Women for Refugee Women, Andrea Vukovic, Deputy Director
Women’s Support Project (Rights & Choices), Claire Cooke, Project Coordinator
Worcester LGBT (Asylum, Support, Networks), Mazedul Hasan Shakil, Leader
Young Roots, Lisa Matthews, Policy and Campaigns Manager
