Setting aside for a moment just how few asylum seekers come to UK in grand scheme of things, particularly compared to France, or the good reasons why those who cross the channel do so, the UK's whole proposal hinges on "you take more so we take less". 1/
That's a pretty hard sell to any country. The UK government has simultaneously politicised immigration and asylum in an attempt to play to its base and demonstrated a repeated tendency to forget that other countries' governments have to factor in their voters. 2/
The irony of this is that, in the UK at least, for the vast majority of voters immigration and asylum are actually pretty low on their list of concerns. The government tries to use it to deflect from other issues though. 3/
For all of its grand standing over the #BordersBill, in practice a lot of its proposals, e.g. returns and offshoring, relies on agreements with other countries, countries which also don't want to take more asylum seekers as they have their own voters to think of. 4/
What is needed is for UK, and to be fair many other countries, including across the EU, to stop focusing their asylum policies on deterrence, exclusion and externalisation, and to start focusing on inclusion. It not only costs less, but it's more practical, as well as humane. 5/
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THREAD: The Home Office has announced today that it is setting up a new "Scientific Advisory Committee" to provide advice on ways to check how old an asylum seeker is, and to say there are concerns to be had about this is underselling it spectacularly. 1/
First off, the need for such assessments is being based on somewhat specious arguments. Current "Merton Compliant Age Assessments" are fairly subjective, and can fail to take such things as cultural differences into account, leading to children being wrongly classed as adults. 2/
This has led to age disputes resulting in children being miscategorised as adults, with mistakes being hard and protracted to rectify. This has in the past led to children who have been mis-aged being attacked and abused after being treated as adults. 4/ theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/m…
Number 101 - learn to stop reading when something is bad. Seriously, why did I waste my time on this? Yeah, a four day week sounds lovely. Do the writers have any idea how many people are living hand mouth as it is without taking a further pay drop? 1/ theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2…
If we do somehow manage to move to a four day working week, potentially a good idea, then it isn't going to be because everyone decides to take a pay cut. It needs to be a change throughout the system so people can still afford to live. 2/
Likewise, something tells me that this advice isn't aimed at the millions of people currently living below the poverty line. 3/
Struggling to see the point of this article. Of course majority of boats used in channel crossings are made elsewhere. What is concerning though is how throughout the terms "smugglers" and "traffickers" are used interchangeably. 1/
These are two very different things, despite both being run by criminal gangs, with very different impacts on the lives of those affected. The article also overlooks the growing number of "self-facilitated" crossings carried out by social groups and not involving gangs. 2/
It may seem like nitpicking, but these are important points. By reinforcing the idea that all channel crossings are facilitated by criminal gangs it plays into the hands of the government's narrative used to justify policies which violate refugee law and rights. 3/
Unsurprisingly bogus arguments by Migration Watch seemingly aimed at stoking hostility towards asylum seekers. We repeatedly see children being mis-aged as adults, a process which is already incredibly hard to get reversed and will become only harder. 1/
If likes of Migration Watch actually were concerned with safety of children they would be campaigning to ensure that so many are not mis-categorised as adults. As it stands however changes imposed by the judicial review bill will effectively strip children of their last shot. 2/
It means that once a child has been mis-aged, which currently happens frequently due to the relatively subjective nature of existing age assessments, and is liable to become even more frequent due to proposals in the Borders Bill, they have little to no chance of appeal. 3/
I know money can be tight, but if you can afford it this #Christmas please consider donating what you can to help others. There is so much need out there, and it is getting worse, but together we can support each other. This is just a quick list to help get started. 1/8
First off @Shelter. There are so many people forced into situations of rough sleeping and #homelessness in the UK. Shelter helps support them to try and find somewhere safe and warm to live, something many of us take for granted. 2/8 england.shelter.org.uk/donate?reserve…
For those supporting #migrantsrights take a look at @JCWI_UK. They have continued working tirelessly throughout the pandemic to stand up for those who the government doesn't just dismiss, it demonises. 3/8 jcwi.org.uk/donate/donate/…
THREAD: Oh, it's Christmas time, autism and wine (or a non-alcoholic drink of your choice). Let's have a little chat about being #ActuallyAutistic and Christmas, and yes this is only from my perspective. 1/
I'll be honest, not a huge fan of Christmas. My stock line is that Scrooge had the right idea before the ghosts mucked it up for him, and in large part that is because growing up undiagnosed (ish) led to a few issues. 2/
Christmas includes a lot of things which I can find difficult. The enforced merriment is not exactly my cup of tea to be honest. I don't like being in groups, so parties and gatherings are not great. Although, granted, not a huge issue this year. 3/