Briefly this is a cross party campaign against an immigration detention centre for over 80 women being built on the site of the old notorious Medomsley Youth Detention Centre in County Durham, near Consett. This briefing document gives more information.
Not only is it in a bad location, but it is clear Liberal Democrat policy that we drastically reduce the number of detention centres, not start building new ones.
In this pandemic, more than ever, we all need the guarantee of a roof over our heads and food to eat. But 1.4 million people in the UK are barred from almost all benefits because of a visa condition called 'No Recourse to Public Funds.' For people with NRPF, losing a job can mean having no way to put food on the table or pay the rent.
This week Rishi Sunak is presenting the budget, promising to 'level up' the quality of life for people across the country. The Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants has launched a petition calling on the Government to make sure that means we all have access to the public safety net when times are tough. We know the suffering that 'No Recourse to Public Funds' causes.
The Liberal Democrats are calling for the ban on asylum seekers working to be lifted, as new Home Office figures reveal that 46,796 people have been waiting more than six months for a decision on their claim.
The latest Immigration Statistics, published this morning, show a backlog of 64,895 people with pending asylum claims at the end of 2020, an increase of 27% since 2019. 46,796 have been waiting more than six months for an initial decision from the Home Office, a 60% increase.
