Ann and Craig

http://migrantsrightsscotland.org.uk/?p=3822

Craig is a Scotsman from the Highlands. Ann is a young Chinese woman who has relatives in the North but her life was in Hong Kong.

On one of her visits here, Ann met Craig and over six years ago, they got married in Inverness. They hadn’t planned to stay in Scotland as Craig had secured a teaching job in Hong Kong.  They left right after the wedding to start their lives together and Ann continued in her employment there.

Early in 2012, Craig and Ann decided to return to Scotland, not realizing the immigration conditions were in the process of change. The English language test was already a requirement so Ann made sure she took it, as she needed to take it in the country of origin. She passed. The couple gave up their apartment, sold their things and both left their jobs, hoping to start afresh in Scotland, perhaps even start a family.

Since Ann and Craig got back in October 2012, their lives have been a nightmare.

As a British citizen, Craig had had no idea his relationship would be under such scrutiny, that his marriage would be judged so severely judged. His hope to return ‘home’ has put their lives in a precarious position. Craig has not been able to find work. He is training to be a hazardous substances lorry driver as it is the only thing he can find, but he is not guaranteed work. In any event, he is unlikely to reach the required £18,600 minimum income to satisfy the UK Border Agency when applying for Ann’s visa to remain here.  Ann’s potential to earn is not even considered. They are currently living with Craig’s parents.

Ann and Craig face a stressful, uncertain few months ahead. In 2013, she will have to leave when her current visa expires. There are no easy solutions for Ann, except in UKBA terms, family separation. In a civilized country, they can have no expectation of a private, family life any time soon.
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"A civilised country should not be separating people who married in good faith and have their future ahead of them": Joan Ruddock MP
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At the People's Assembly yesterday, Guy Taylor of https://twitter.com/JCWInews made a fantastic speech on the Divided Families Campaign and promoted Divided Families Day on 9th July.
Be there!
http://britcits.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/whats-coming-up-26th-june-public.html

The assembled throng :
https://twitter.com/GuidoTallman/status/348415588785344512/photo/1

https://twitter.com/GuidoTallman :
#pplsassembly think we had 4 top table speakers and 18 contributions from the floor in immigration / racism session at #pplsassembly :)

https://twitter.com/trillingual :
Good #pplsassembly speech by @GuidoTallman calling on left to be less timid confronting racism in immigration system. Shame not more of this
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https://twitter.com/UK_HumanRights :
Lord Brown: We do not, indeed must not, outlaw unpopular minorities—prisoners, asylumseekers, immigrants—we must not outlaw even the wicked.

https://twitter.com/sjplep :
Quote from #pplsassembly session on immigration yesterday : 'Lynton Crosby is a migrant worker. Rupert Murdoch is a migrant worker!'
#wicked

https://twitter.com/GuidoTallman :
although true for Crosby, not sure how Murdoch can be labelled 'worker' in any sense!

https://twitter.com/MigrantVoiceUK :
so is the head of the Royal Mail and the Bank of England - Canadians!

https://twitter.com/sjplep :
Head of BoEngland's wife is cool. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/economics/9704385/New-Bank-of-England-Governor-Mark-Carneys-wife-an-eco-warrior-who-says-banks-are-rotten.html
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Would an independent Scotland have a different immigration policy?

http://migrantsrightsscotland.org.uk/?p=2205

In a sense, the more extreme demographic circumstances in Scotland have made more widely apparent what has already been recognised in many cities in central and northern England and in Wales, where asylum dispersal has brought benefits and local authorities have tried to ensure that refugees remain and don’t drift to London.

It’s a message that rarely gets across, and of course is anathema to pressure groups like Migration Watch and has never been championed by senior politicians in Whitehall.  Perhaps those of us with an interest in changing migration policy in the UK should campaign for an independent Scotland, and look forward to the benefits of a more modern policy becoming evident in a few years time, north of the border?
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https://twitter.com/MigRightsScot :
Trafficked into the UK are victims, not criminals
http://www.channel4.com/news/child-trafficking-victim-crime-judge-cannabis-prostitution
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Asylum seekers: nowhere boys.

Around 1,200 children arrived in Britain seeking asylum last year – often alone, and after long, harrowing journeys hidden in freezers or under lorries. We find out what happened next

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/jun/22/asylum-seekers-nowhere-boys?CMP=twt_gu
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VISITORS from India, Pakistan, Nigeria and other “high risk” countries in Asia and Africa will be forced to pay a £3,000 cash bond before they can enter Britain.

http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/uk_news/National/article1277753.ece

From November, a pilot scheme will target visitors from seven countries who will have to pay the government a form of cash guarantee or deposit to deter immigration abuse. They will forfeit the £3,000 if they overstay in Britain and fail to return to their home countries by the time their visa has expired.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/Europe/UK-plans-visa-bonds-for-high-risk-Asians-Africans/Article1-1080934.aspx
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http://globalvoicesonline.org/ chronicles our changing times from a global perspective. Check in with them.

Morris

“How do you explain to kids that we just don’t make enough money to be together as a family. We have tried to teach our children the importance of family and more so the importance of not judging people by what they have or how much money they make...”

Morris is a British citizen. He married his wife, who is Canadian, in summer 2005.

Morris has to live in the UK as he has family responsibilities to his children (from a previous relationship) and to his own parents.

Now the government wants to keep this couple - married for over seven years - apart; or to force Morris out away from his parents and children..

Morris was born and raised in South Wales, and grew up in a low income, hard working, but loving family.

Morris’s dad worked deep in the coal mines. Morris wasn’t given the opportunity to go to university, and never thought he’d meet and fall in love with his soul mate all the way in Canada, but he did.

Morris even became close to her children from a previous relationship. They married in summer 2005 here in the UK. They were living their lives happily, and like all his life, Morris worked hard doing the back breaking, low paid jobs that most people wouldn’t.

Then the family decided to relocate to Canada for his wife’s studies. Morris eventually had to return to the UK in 2010 to be near his own children from a previous relationship, with the intention that his wife would join him as soon as he had obtained a stable job. His wife regularly sent money to support Morris during his job search and to help in setting up what is to be their home in the UK.

In 2012, Morris finally obtained a stable job. However, when he went off to print the forms for his wife, he discovered how drastically the rules had changed; they felt like their future had been stolen from them.

He is furious that his government is dictating to him what their family budget should be when his wife joins him here! His wife would get a visa that clearly states "no recourse to public funds" stamped across it, so how could she be a burden on tax payers if she doesn’t qualify for public funding?

When his wife joins him here in the UK, she is qualified enough to get work that would pay around £18,000 - £20,000, and hence pay income tax. They would be shopping, paying council tax, paying VAT, contributing to society and being active members of the community. How is any of this a burden on the economy?

They are in the fortunate position that his wife doesn’t have the same ties preventing her from leaving
Canada, given that her only family is Morris and their own children. Morris's wife has nothing keeping her in Canada except these rule changes.

This is a couple being kept apart when all the time they were trying to be prudent and ensure that Morris had a good job before his wife and stepchildren moved to the UK.

All the hard working, innocent British citizens who just happen to fall in love with someone from a non-European country are now paying the ultimate price. They are being ripped apart from their loved ones, their families - by their own government!

Morris accepts that their need to be changes to the immigration system but not this "one-size fits all" approach and definitely not at the expense of British citizens right to be with their family – tearing apart spouses, parents and children from their loved ones.

In Morris's view, if the concern is abuse of the welfare system, then make it harder to get welfare benefits, but don’t stop innocent families from being able to be together. This cannot be right legally, or morally.