Priti Patel's immigration policy condemned by Furness Refugee Support

Home Secretary Priti Patel’s proposed Immigration Bill is the biggest attack ever on the right to claim asylum, said a spokesperson for Furness Refugee Support.

“It would mean that for the first time how a person enters this country would affect their asylum claim.

“Only refugees arriving through extremely restricted ‘official’ routes, such as the ‘refugee resettlement schemes’, would be given the right to settle in the UK.

Support: Priti Patel was in Cumbria last week to visit Calvert Trust - and show support for Peter McCall in the upcoming Police and Crime Commissioner election

“All other refugees would be regularly reassessed for removal, with limited rights to family reunion and limited access to benefits.

“It’s a disgrace that Britain should be thinking of preventing families from re-uniting even more than now and depriving them of even the £39 a week refugees receive at present.

“People fleeing for their lives have little choice about how they seek safety. By punishing them for how they enter the country, these proposals would create one rule for some and a different rule for others.

“Despite what the Government claims, the plans do nothing to strengthen safe routes for refugees."

CRITICISM: Home Secretary Priti Patel. Photo: UK Parliament/Jessica Taylor/PA Wire

Barrow's MP Simon Fell defended the Bill and highlighted the clear three-point plan the Home Secretary has used to explain their strategy.

“The Bill is a step change in stopping illegal migration and the vicious criminal gangs that facilitate it," Mr Fell said.

“It has three clear objectives: better protecting those in genuine need of refuge; deterring illegal entry and breaking the businesses of the people smugglers who enable it, and removing more easily those with no right to be here.”

Simon Fell

The refugee support charity explained that the UK used to be a world leader in helping refugees, taking in the third most after the USA and Canada.

“Now we are resettling just a tiny fraction. There’s only a handful of refugee families in Furness – and with more than 850 supporters, Furness Refugee Support would be happy to help more.

“The bill says refugees should be returned to any safe country they have travelled through – although Britain has no agreement to do that with any of those countries – and while waiting for their cases to be heard refugeees could be housed in ‘off-shore sites’ – shades of Dickens’ floating prison hulks!

“These mean-minded and unworkable proposals would force an already struggling asylum system into collapse, leaving traumatised people stuck in refugee camps on UK soil with nowhere to go.

“Fair-minded people in the UK want a system that reflects our humanity, decency and common sense.”

The spokesperson added: “It’s vital that we make our voices heard and join the thousands objecting to these mean-minded proposals. Please write to your MP.

“People can also fill in a questionnaire for a Home Office consultation at newplanforimmigration.com, email comments to immigration@britainthinks.com or take action at this site.

“It’s imperative that we act quickly – the closing date for comments is May 6 at 11.45am."