Being forced to risk your life on a dinghy crossing one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world is not a "pull factor" for people seeking asylum. That's why overall numbers are down. Those crossing have no other options. Making it harder just makes it more dangerous. #r4today
There's been a drop in number of people seeking asylum in UK. Those crossing channel are those for whom all other options have been removed. The measures being proposed, and currently implemented, merely place them at increased risk rather than act as a "deterrent". #r4today
Blocking one section of the route just makes smuggling gangs move their operations. They, shockingly, have even less regard for the lives of asylum seekers than the British government. They won't stop and people needing safety won't stop having to rely on them. Image
The only way to tackle gangs is to remove need for asylum seekers to rely on them. Realistically "resettlement routes" won't do that because they cover such a limited area. There are solutions, processing applications in France for example, facilitating easier access to UK etc.
UK already took a fraction of asylum seekers that other countries do, particularly likes of France and Germany. That number dropped even more last year. The system isn't "overwhelmed" by numbers of asylum seekers. It's failing because of a culture of denialism in the Home Office.
More than 70% of asylum applications are taking more than 6 months to process. With majority of claims successful that delay appears to be the Home Office deliberately dragging its heels at times to make people "give up and move on", so they can avoid providing protection.

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More from @stand_for_all

6 Jul
So here it is. Not a lot to be shocked by in the Nationality and Borders Bill which hasn't already been reported on, but now we have it there are some elements which definitely need addressing. 1/
First and foremost there is a very clear differentiation between refugees, ostensibly based on primarily their manner of entry. Despite the refugee convention prohibiting penalties for manner of entry it seems like they are being imposed across the board. 2/
There's also quite a bit which is seemingly unworkable. Without agreements in place with other countries, which it doesn't currently have, the UK can't remove someone to that country. So this seems liable to just leave asylum seekers stuck in detention and living in limbo. 3/
Read 11 tweets
5 Jul
Ah, the "queue jump" line. No-one is jumping the queue by crossing the channel. Solution lies with ensuring that asylum seekers are provided with safe options to cross, not denying them safety. Returning them to France just forces them back into the hands of the gangs #r4today
There was so much wrong in that #r4today interview with @timloughton, but his complete lack of compassion for asylum seekers was probably the main thing for me. Continued use of "genuine", as if people crossing the channel are doing it for fun rather than desperation for example.
The UK takes a fraction of the number of asylum seekers that France does, but we have blowhard MPs making out that they have some kind of responsibility to take more so the UK can take fewer, despite applications being already low.
Read 4 tweets
4 Jul
It isn't illegal to cross channel or seek asylum. Ironically for @pritipatel it is illegal to penalise asylum seekers for their manner of entry. While studying the Australian system did @ukhomeoffice miss part where some of those policies are illegal? 1/

thetimes.co.uk/article/e3d4b6… ImageImage
The reality of @pritipatel's #NewPlanforImmigration is that it will increase the very issues which she claims she wants to solve. It doesn't tackle smugglers or traffickers. Quite the opposite. It creates a never ending supply for them of people with no chance of seeking help. 2/ Image
People aren't crossing the channel for fun. They are doing it because they have no other options left. As recognised in law, safety is fairly subjective and there are very good reasons why asylum, and it is only a small minority nonetheless, may not feel safe in EU countries. 3/
Read 12 tweets
30 Jun
As already happens with non-EU nationals, due to the government's failure to extend EU citizens face risk of becoming undocumented virtually overnight. We see it time and again where people who have lived in UK perfectly legally become undocumented due to failures in system. 1/
Once undocumented it is incredibly hard for people to regain legal status. With even charities used as immigration enforcement they are denied access to support, which only increases their vulnerability and risk of the exploitation. 2/
Without an immediate extension to the #EUSettlementScheme the same thing happening to non-EU migrants now will happen to thousands of EU citizens. Jobs, homes, family life, everything thrown into jeopardy by a system which the Home Office claims to be "compassionate". 3/
Read 6 tweets
30 Jun
Thread: I will occasionally talk about how being #ActuallyAutistic helps me be better at working in human rights, and understandably, mainly due to certain stereotypes, this confuses people. So thought I would put a little explainer together. 1/
First off, and I cannot stress this enough, this is only my personal experience. I don't, and can't speak for all autistic individuals. I can only talk about my own experiences. Everyone is different. So, that's the obligatory disclaimer out of the way. On with the show. 2/
You have possibly read, heard, or experienced how autistic individuals can have trouble with communication. I know I do. I tend to take things literally, and if you ask me a question I just hope that you actually wanted an answer. There's a flip side to this though. 3/
Read 12 tweets
28 Jun
The UK is already the only country in Western Europe to apply indefinite detention. Rather than most people who are detained who count down to their release, migrants have to count up with no idea when they may be released. That takes a severe physical and mental toll. 1/
Now, instead of tackling this costly and inhumane process Priti Patel is looking to bring in new policies which are likely to exacerbate the issue and leave many asylum seekers living in limbo. Offshoring doesn't change this, it just shifts it somewhere else. 2/
Imagine that you had fled persecution. You have been have multiple challenges as you try and find somewhere you feel safe enough to attempt to rebuild your life, and instead of being supported you are locked up with no idea when you may be released. 3/
Read 10 tweets

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