Blog
Jun 17, 2013
Comments: 3
The launch of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Migration family inquiry report last week has helped to bring the issue of the new family migration rules into the migration debate. So what happens now?
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.
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.
Jun 17, 2013
Comments: 9
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?
When it comes to designing public policy on any issue concerning family life you would think that human rights would be a pretty good place to start. Unfortunately, this is not the case with new family migration rules introduced by the Home Office in July 2012. Last week the All-Party Group on Migration issued a report (PDF) looking at the impact of what happens when politicians refuse to be guided by human rights obligations. The report follows a six month inquiry into what has followed since the Home Office applied stringent new measures on minimum levels of income which people need to demonstrate before they can bring a non-EEA partner or children to settle with them in the UK.
When it comes to designing public policy on any issue concerning family life you would think that human rights would be a pretty good place to start. Unfortunately, this is not the case with new family migration rules introduced by the Home Office in July 2012. Last week the All-Party Group on Migration issued a report (PDF) looking at the impact of what happens when politicians refuse to be guided by human rights obligations. The report follows a six month inquiry into what has followed since the Home Office applied stringent new measures on minimum levels of income which people need to demonstrate before they can bring a non-EEA partner or children to settle with them in the UK.
Jun 10, 2013
Comments: 26
The APPG on Migration inquiry into family migration has launched its final report today - this will be an important piece of evidence for campaigners who want to see a change in these rules...
Today the spotlight is firmly on the new family migration rules brought in last year, with the release of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Migration report into the emerging impacts of the rules.
Today the spotlight is firmly on the new family migration rules brought in last year, with the release of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Migration report into the emerging impacts of the rules.
Jun 3, 2013
Comments: 7
The Conservative Party finds itself in a never-ending brawl on a number of issues, in particular Europe and equal marriage. But one thing is clear: David Cameron has so far been unwilling to fight on immigration. He’s happy for his Tory backbenchers to lead on the direction of policy making.
The current hot-potato immigration issue is access to free healthcare, a matter long-considered within the overall reforms to health. It was recently the subject of a long debate in parliament, in which the Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt agreed to review ‘primary care’ as ‘a critical access point’ for immigrants.
The current hot-potato immigration issue is access to free healthcare, a matter long-considered within the overall reforms to health. It was recently the subject of a long debate in parliament, in which the Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt agreed to review ‘primary care’ as ‘a critical access point’ for immigrants.
Jun 2, 2013
Comments: 4
Been working for two years, paying taxes, and think you’ve got rights? Wrong, says the government, you’re just a benefits tourist. We say it’s the government, and the Labour opposition, which is wrong on this, and hope the Commission wins its case in court.
On the face of it one would have thought that defending the decision of the European Commission to refer the UK’s ‘right to reside’ test to the European Court of Justice was one of the easy tasks for supporters of the rights of migrants to take on.
On the face of it one would have thought that defending the decision of the European Commission to refer the UK’s ‘right to reside’ test to the European Court of Justice was one of the easy tasks for supporters of the rights of migrants to take on.
May 28, 2013
Comments: 26
Those affected and campaigning against the new rules on family migration will know that we are fast-approaching their 1-year anniversary on 9 July. Over the next couple of months there is plenty that you will be able to do to raise awareness and ask the Government to think again.
During the year since the Government announced its changes to the family migration rules, MRN has heard from hundreds of families who have been kept apart from one another - couples split across continents, young children separated from parents, elderly relatives kept apart from relatives who wish to care for them in the UK.
During the year since the Government announced its changes to the family migration rules, MRN has heard from hundreds of families who have been kept apart from one another - couples split across continents, young children separated from parents, elderly relatives kept apart from relatives who wish to care for them in the UK.
May 27, 2013
Comments: 3
Less migration will mean more opportunities for natives is a common argument across the political spectrum today. Wrong. Less migration will mean more exploitation of vulnerable British workers, and the closure of any hope for a better future for all.
Whilst the government’s legislation drafters are hard at work producing the immigration bill promised in the Queen’s Speech we have been provided with an excellent example of the reason why their work is being carried out on the basis of fundamentally flawed logic.
Whilst the government’s legislation drafters are hard at work producing the immigration bill promised in the Queen’s Speech we have been provided with an excellent example of the reason why their work is being carried out on the basis of fundamentally flawed logic.
May 20, 2013
Two recent books look at what states do to people at their borders and how this often reflects what they do to others on their territory. Take note: Police regimes at national frontiers have a disturbing tendency to become police regimes over everyone...
The sinister injunction that one should be careful of what you wish for, on account of the possibility that it might come true, seems to have particular application to those who would like to see the UK ‘regain control of its borders.’
The sinister injunction that one should be careful of what you wish for, on account of the possibility that it might come true, seems to have particular application to those who would like to see the UK ‘regain control of its borders.’
May 9, 2013
Comments: 1
The coalition government wants less rights and less migration. Employers hint at less rights but want more migration. And others, including the European Commission, say rights are just what is needed to encourage people to migrate in security. Confused? You need not be....
Just one day after the government sets out its proposals to continue to bear down on immigration in the Queen’s speech the European Commission comes up with a set of proposals which are intended to pull policy in another direction altogether.
Just one day after the government sets out its proposals to continue to bear down on immigration in the Queen’s speech the European Commission comes up with a set of proposals which are intended to pull policy in another direction altogether.
May 8, 2013
Comments: 4
Today we learned that Government is preparing a new Immigration Bill - despite ministers' acknowledgement that much of the detail behind the headlines is still missing...
May 7, 2013
Comments: 2
The aftermath of the UKIP surge in the polls in the local elections has led to a lot of soul searching in mainstream politics. To the detriment of the Conservative Party whilst also hacking away at both the support of the Labour and Liberal Democrats parties, UKIP emerged as the third most popular party in Britain today.
But a lot has to be said for the state parliament finds itself in 2013. In 2008, the UK entered its longest and harshest economic crisis in 60 years, mainly caused by an unhinged financial sector. Economic growth has been almost non-existent since then.
But a lot has to be said for the state parliament finds itself in 2013. In 2008, the UK entered its longest and harshest economic crisis in 60 years, mainly caused by an unhinged financial sector. Economic growth has been almost non-existent since then.
May 7, 2013
Comments: 8
The populist surge of UKIP is encouraging the belief that migration across borders can be brought under control by an act of steely determination on the part of government. This is a big mistake. "Effective management" of migration will remain an impossible dream until we face up to the reality of what is really driving the movement of people.
Why have successive British governments, apparently, made such a hash at administering immigration control policy? The word ‘apparently’ is important because of the difficulty in knowing by what standards we are measuring the success. The high level of discontent which shows up in public opinion surveys, with 70% of respondents regularly expressing dismay at the state of border controls, suggest that all is in disarray and we are truly living in a country with ‘broken borders.’
Why have successive British governments, apparently, made such a hash at administering immigration control policy? The word ‘apparently’ is important because of the difficulty in knowing by what standards we are measuring the success. The high level of discontent which shows up in public opinion surveys, with 70% of respondents regularly expressing dismay at the state of border controls, suggest that all is in disarray and we are truly living in a country with ‘broken borders.’
Apr 29, 2013
We’ve launched our 2012 annual report last week with a private view and drinks reception at 19 Princelet Street - Britain’s Museum of Immigration and Diversity. Here's what kept us busy in 2012.
2012 has been another exciting year for the MRN team. We’ve been busier than ever. Putting together an annual report always offers an organisation a great time to reflect on the path walked and the road ahead. This is why we decided to call our report “Standing our Ground and Looking Ahead.” (download the PDF)
2012 has been another exciting year for the MRN team. We’ve been busier than ever. Putting together an annual report always offers an organisation a great time to reflect on the path walked and the road ahead. This is why we decided to call our report “Standing our Ground and Looking Ahead.” (download the PDF)
Apr 22, 2013
Comments: 1
Lord Ashcroft’s latest analysis of Black Minority Ethnic (BME) voting intentions will not come as much of a surprise to political parties. It finds, unsurprisingly, that the BME vote is still at home with the Labour Party and the Conservatives will struggle to pull that apart in 2015.
Ashcroft’s investigation comes on the back of long-running post-2010 analysis to understand why just 16% of the BME vote in the last general election went to the Conservative party.
Ashcroft’s investigation comes on the back of long-running post-2010 analysis to understand why just 16% of the BME vote in the last general election went to the Conservative party.
Apr 19, 2013
Comments: 6
Wednesday night's launch of the latest report from Bail for Immigration Detainees took place at a packed meeting in Parliament. It was an encouraging sign that the toxic debate on immigration has not damped commitment to speak up for the rights of children affected by immigration controls.
The issues raised by the BID report should make for uncomfortable reading by the authorities. Fractured Childhoods: the separation of families by immigration detention draws on BID research with clients between 2009 and 2012, and tracks the impacts of separation of parents from children as a result of immigration detention.
The issues raised by the BID report should make for uncomfortable reading by the authorities. Fractured Childhoods: the separation of families by immigration detention draws on BID research with clients between 2009 and 2012, and tracks the impacts of separation of parents from children as a result of immigration detention.
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