BritCits

Family migration campaigning: the next steps

http://www.migrantsrights.org.uk/blog/2013/06/family-migration-campaigning-next-steps


'For all those worrying that the pain caused by last year's new family migration rules may have gone largely unnoticed, last Monday's launch of the APPG family inquiry report will have told a different story...

'...A good opportunity for strengthening the political arguments for a rethink on the family migration rules will come this week. As a result of political concern about this issue, a Westminster Hall Debate for MPs has been scheduled for this Wednesday from 14:30 - 16:00, led by the APPG family migration inquiry vice chair Virendra Sharma. All those concerned about the rules who have not already written to their MP to ask them to attend the debate, should do so as soon as possible! In any case, do watch the debate on Parliament Live TV here.

'Following this, there will be a debate on the family migration rules in the House of Lords in early July, and then a Divided Families Day of Action which will include a meeting in Parliament on 9th July.

'All in all, there will be plenty to watch out for, and plenty of chances to take an active role in campaigning over the next month on this important issue. If you would like to be actively involved, make sure to sign the letter of support on the MRN website here - over 2000 people have done so already since last Monday...'

So coming up : the Westminster Hall debate, a reminder to sign the MRN letter of support ( 2000 signatures in a few days! http://www.migrantsrights.org.uk/support-the-right-to-family-life ).

And, once again, please please please if you can try to attend the demonstration and parliamentary lobby on 9th July. Be there! ( http://britcits.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/britcits-meetups-for-9th-july-to-mark.html )

(Also, if you happen to be able to get to Hackney on 26th June, be here and meet me! http://britcits.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/public-meeting-resisting-attacks-on.html )
---

Needless heartbreak and the new UK rules on family migration

http://www.migrantsrights.org.uk/blog/2013/06/needless-heartbreak-and-new-uk-rules-family-migration

By https://twitter.com/donflynnmrn

'Theresa May made it clear when she drafted her rules on family immigration that human rights considerations would be kept to the absolute minimum. How much has this approach contributed to the mess that we are now in with this policy?

'...The whole sorry situation – poor, confusing rules, creating unneeded hardship for almost 18,000 families a year who find themselves in this situation – could have been avoided if the government had chosen to regard human rights law not as the enemy of good regulation, but as a very useful ally.  Yes, there are circumstances in which even Article 8 agrees that considerations of wider public interest might trump a family reunion right, but these ought to be when exceptional facts are present, rather than the mundane matter of humble folk struggling to pay the costs of their daily existence.'