A Joint Statement

Bangladeshi Workers Council, Caribbean Labour Solidarity, Communist Party of Britain, Indian Workers Association and Jewish Voice for Labour.

The Labour Movement must unite our communities and our working class in the months and years ahead.
We stand for equality and not discrimination.
We oppose the hostile environment and are for the repeal of racist legislation.
We stand for safe and legal routes and are against the outsourcing of Britain’s asylum system to Rwanda or elsewhere.
We call for a reduction in immigration fees.
We oppose people being housed in detention centres and are for people residing in communities with proper support.
We stand for the treatment of people as Human Beings.
We oppose income thresholds as a means to determine immigration and are for fair and equal treatment.
We support the right to work and say asylum seekers and refugees should have indefinite leave to remain, access to public funds with faster tracking to nationality.
We oppose the revoking of UK Citizenship and the deportation or removal of those who have UK Citizenship, or are at risk and for a proper appeal system. Children without Citizenship should automatically be given it on reaching adulthood.
We call for parliamentary scrutiny of any changes to immigration and nationality laws and for the Police and Home Office to be stripped of discretionary powers. The Windrush Scheme is not fit for purpose and must be revamped and made accessible.
We call upon Labour Movement Organisations to back these demands.
We recognise more needs adding.
We do not seek to replace organisations and campaigns that already exist. Indeed, we call upon Trade Unions to support these campaigns.

Attacks on refugees and migrants are being used to divide our communities. We must oppose this machination by fighting for a fair, anti-racist immigration system and the broadest unity amongst the Labour movement, democrats, socialists and communities – Shahriar Bin Ali
Chair, Bangladeshi Workers Council (BWC) – UK

The Hostile Environment created for the Windrush Generation and for refugees seeking safety in the UK is a scandal that must not go unchallenged. We call upon the Labour and Trade Union Movement to support our demands for Human Rights and Justice.
– Luke Daniels
President Caribbean Labour Solidarity (CLS)

“Jewish people know too well what it means to be a migrant or refugee fleeing oppression. In the 1930s, most countries denied entry to desperate Jewish people trying to flee the Nazi regime; that same denial is happening now, just to different desperate people. International laws were created post WW2 to stop that but these laws are being ignored. The hostile environment needs to end; it is vital that the Labour Movement rejects divide and rule and stands for humanity.”
-Leah Levane
Co Chair Jewish Voice for Labour (JVL)