MP’s refugee families bill gets over first hurdle

NA H-EILEANAN an Iar MP Angus MacNeil’s bill to reunite refugee families and ease the UK government’s ‘inhumane’ immigration rules passed its first major hurdle last week in Westminster.

Despite the UK government’s opposition, the bill passed its second reading in parliament with the backing of SNP, Conservative, Labour, Lib Dem, Plaid Cymru, Green and DUP MPs. The bill will now proceed to committee stage for further scrutiny and amendments.

The Refugees (Family Reunion) Bill looks to ensure that:

❒ Child refugees in the UK would have the right to sponsor their close family to come to the UK, so they can rebuild their lives together and help them integrate in their new community.

❒ An expansion of who qualifies as a family, so that young people who have turned 18, and elderly parents, can live in safety with their families in the UK.

❒ The reintroduction of legal aid, so refugees who have lost everything have the support they need to navigate the complicated process of being reunited with their families.

The Private Member’s Bill has been backed by the Refugee Council, the UN Refugee Agency, Amnesty UK, the British Red Cross and Oxfam GB.