In 2021, the UK Government introduced the Nationality and Borders Bill to parliament. This followed a consultation on the Home Office ‘New Plan for Immigration’ earlier this year. The bill could have a major effect on the way this country responds to those in need of sanctuary. It seeks to …
Refugees
End Hostility
Asylum and Migration
‘When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt.’ Leviticus 19:33-34 We want to see a society that welcomes the stranger. Migration, whether …
The Asylum and Refugee Community
A story sent by Rev John Howard-Norman of Wesley Hall Methodist Church, Blackburn: As the nations of Europe struggle to make an adequate response to the needs of the hundreds of thousands of refugees fleeing war, violence and oppression, Christians, cannot simply remain bystanders to this …
The story behind the exodus
Over 650,000 Rohingyas have fled Myanmar for Bangladesh following widespread ethnic violence in Rakhine State. This is one of the most rapid movements of refugees that we have seen anywhere in recent years but what has led to this crisis and how might it be resolved? …
Notes from the latest meeting of the APPG on Refugees
‘When they take you there, the best of your life is taken away from you.’ Notes from the latest meeting of the APPG on Refugees. The motto of the Poverty Truth Commission ‘Nothing about Us without Us is for Us,’ is one that Britain’s parliamentarians would do well to remember. The idea that policy …
We are all connected
We are all connected The events of the past six months have been truly shocking, haven’t they? It has sometimes felt that we have only just caught our breath from the last disaster, and then the news breaks, and it all starts over again. I can’t recall another time in my life when I have woken …
Amidst the General Election coverage over the next few weeks and beyond, don’t let us forget…
There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28) Since the Prime Minister called a General Election two weeks ago, the country has been awash with news from the Campaign trail. MPs are …
‘Incentives’, or walking by on the other side of the road
The Home Secretary, Amber Rudd, has said this country is going to close its scheme helping unaccompanied child refugees because “We don’t want to incentivise [child refugee] journeys to Europe”. The Home Office appears to be arguing that the cause of children fleeing conflict zones such as Syria and …
Ayana’s story
A Very British Nativity was inspired by the story of a young woman named Ayana, 26, who left her home country of Eritrea over eleven years ago. Since arriving in the UK in 2008 Ayana has experienced homelessness and physical abuse, and even had her temporary accommodation withdrawn after the death …