Following new allegations, Jean Lambert MEP has written to the Home Secretary calling for an urgent, independent and far-reaching inquiry into Home Office conduct.
 
Earlier this week, whistleblowers raised some serious claims about chaos, incompetence and managerial misconduct within the government department [1].
 
This is just the latest negative report, following a string of Home Office errors over the past 12 months. These include illegally deporting EU rough sleepers [2], losing vital personal immigration papers [3], wrongly trying to deport skilled migrants [4], glitches within the new Settled Status scheme for EU nationals, accusing overseas students of cheating in English language tests [5], and the continuing, shambolic treatment of Windrush victims [6].
 
The letter has been copied to Yvette Cooper, Chair of the Home Affairs Committee.
 
Jean Lambert, London’s Green MEP and the Green Party’s migration spokesperson says: “In recent years, the Home Office has been at the centre of a catalogue of disasters – tearing families apart and turning lives upside down. While its representatives try to brush these off as a series of unfortunate mistakes, the new allegations of managerial bullying of caseworkers and incentives to reject asylum applications suggest this is more than incompetence – it’s deep-rooted, deliberate and unethical malpractice.
 
I’m calling for an urgent, independent and far-reaching inquiry into the Home Office’s activities and conduct. When Sajid Javid was appointed as Home Secretary, exactly one year ago, he promised to create a ‘fair and humane’ immigration system. If he was remotely sincere in this promise, he would immediately agree to conduct a probe into the department to make sure it is acting legally, ethically and in line with international human rights standards.”
 
Read the letter in full below, or in PDF format here.
 
​
Dear Home Secretary,

​As you will be aware, barely a day passes without new reports of administrative blunders, data breaches, unlawful decisions or human rights violations from your ministerial department – the Home Office. Would you not agree that it is now time for a genuine enquiry as to how the department is run?
 
In April 2019 alone, the Home Office was forced to apologise after accidentally sharing 500 private email addresses during the launch of a Windrush compensation scheme – days later making the same mistake with the email addresses of 240 EU nationals. It also now faces legal action and a formal investigation by the National Audit Office after wrongly accusing some 34,000 students of cheating in a government-approved English test, causing more than 1,000 to be detained or deported.
 
These are symptomatic of a much more extensive catalogue of disasters over the past 12 months: illegally deporting EU rough sleepers, losing or even deliberately destroying personal documentation, wrongly trying to deport hundreds of skilled workers, and – of course – a spate of examples of malpractice relating to the Windrush generation, which has already borne the brunt of Home Office incompetence. This list goes on.
 
Every time one of these stories hits the headlines, I get a sense of déjà vu. Occasionally a Home Office spokesperson stoically apologises for the mistake, or the department swiftly and silently backtracks – as in the case of a 35-year-old Iraqi-Kurd, Najat Ibrahim Ismail, who was set to be cruelly deported this week against the best interests of his children.
 
However, I was particularly alarmed this week to read new reports of “overworked, under-skilled, bullied and highly stressed caseworkers” within your Dublin Cessation Team (DCT) which determines which EU Member State is responsible for an asylum claim – a system which I have sought to make more fair, humane and transparent during my time as an MEP.
 
The toxic working environment in DCT has is clearly having an adverse effect on its day-to-day activities. It is slowing down decision-making which leaves asylum applicants in limbo for years, with many detained illegally in immigration removal centres. Meanwhile, personal performance targets which give caseworkers 555 minutes to refuse an asylum application but just 222 minutes to grant one, are completely nonsensical and incentivise rejection. Such policies are tearing families apart and turning lives upside down.
 
These latest claims by whistleblowers raise new, serious questions about the Home Office’s ability to make fair, lawful decisions in line with international human rights standards and its treaty obligations.
 
The issue is particularly pressing given that, should Brexit go ahead, the Government plans to subject millions of EU nationals to the chronically malfunctioning system currently in place for non-EU nationals.
 
This week marks one year since your appointment as Home Secretary. It has been a full 12 months since you promised to create a “fair and humane” immigration system. This has clearly not been delivered. The Home Office continues to propagate a “hostile environment” – not just for migrants and asylum seekers, but for its own staff members.
 
It’s time to face facts – the Home Office is no longer fit-for-purpose. That’s why I am calling for an urgent, independent and far-reaching inquiry into the department’s actions and conduct.
 
If you hope to live up to your bold promises, shake off the Home Office’s toxic reputation and rebuild confidence in your institution, I trust that you will kick-start this process in the coming weeks.
 
Yours sincerely,

Jean Lambert
​London’s Green Party MEP

CC:  Yvette Cooper MP, Chair of the Home Affairs Committee

Notes:

[1] https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/apr/28/home-office-chaos-and-incompetence-leads-to-unlawful-detentions-claim-whistleblowers

[2] https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-44093868

[3] https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/nov/23/home-office-tried-to-deport-300-skilled-migrants-under-terrorism-law

[4] https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/eu-citizens-unable-to-use-settlement-scheme-as-new-system-overwhelmed-on-first-day-a4105186.html

[5] https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/apr/26/home-office-faces-legal-action-over-english-test-cheating-claims

[6] https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-47256003

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Jean Lambert, London’s Green MEP, has co-signed a letter to EU leaders calling for swift action to protect the rights of citizens in the event of a chaotic ‘no deal’ scenario.

Jean joined 24 other cross-party MEPs in signing the letter, which calls on the EU to ring-fence citizens’ rights – unilaterally if necessary – to reassure millions that their rights will be upheld regardless of which course the UK Government chooses.

Read the full text of the letter below, or in PDF format here.

Dear President Tusk, Dear Mr Barnier, Dear President Juncker, Dear Mr Verhofstadt,

We are writing to urgently request that you act now to ring-fence the rights of citizens within the Brexit negotiations.  We believe the EU should if needs be do this unilaterally and commit our good offices to urge the UK government to do the same.

Following the rejection by the House of Commons of the UK Government’s deal on the Withdrawal Agreement and the future relationship with the EU, it is of crucial importance that action is taken swiftly to calm the very real fears of many EU citizens across the continent. The scale of the defeat (230 votes) means that the deal as it currently stands seems very unlikely to ever pass the House of Commons.  This would mean that the operative provisions on Citizens Rights may not come into effect, impacting upon millions of European citizens resident in the UK and UK citizens across the EU.

It is unacceptable that our citizens have been subject to such uncertainty so long and where we fully recognise the failure is on the UK side, we now need the European Union to live up to its promises given that it has the capacity to do so.

Were the Member States to come together at Council level and agree to enshrine the rights of UK nationals – including their existing freedom of movement rights – in a legally binding agreement as an EU-wide solution, rather than rely on more piecemeal national legislation for each individual Member State which can be adjusted or overturned at any moment, we believe that this would act as a huge incentive for the UK government to reciprocate.

We absolutely appreciate the reasoning behind your previously stated position that “nothing is agreed until everything is agreed”, however we have now reached such a point that it is entirely possible that nothing at all will be agreed. Therefore, we kindly urge you to now look at salvaging whatever possible on the behalf of our citizens who are so desperately seeking reassurances.

We thank you for your urgent consideration and look forward to a positive reply.

Richard Ashworth MEP

Catherine Bearder MEP

Paul Brannan MEP

Richard Corbett MEP

Seb Dance MEP

Jill Evans MEP

Julie Girling MEP

Theresa Griffin MEP

Mary Honeyball MEP

John Howarth MEP

Wajid Khan MEP

Jude Kirton-Darling MEP

Jean Lambert MEP

David Martin MEP

Linda McAvan MEP

Clare Moody MEP

Rory Palmer MEP

Molly Scott Cato MEP

Alyn Smith MEP

Catherine Stihler MEP

Charles Tannock MEP

Keith Taylor MEP

Derek Vaughan MEP

Julie Ward MEP

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Today the Government has unveiled its long-awaited immigration white paper, outlining its vision for the UK’s post-Brexit immigration policy. [1]

Jean Lambert, London’s Green MEP, has criticised the proposals for threatening to “plough the Home Office, and millions of lives, into crisis”.

Jean explained:

“Having kicked the can down the road for months, the Government’s immigration white paper has finally been published. Yet, with just 100 days to go until Brexit, it presents us with more questions than answers.

Firstly, what is the status of the Government’s commitment to its impossible and absurd ‘tens of thousands’ net migration target? After all this time, the white paper is unclear on whether this figure – which was plucked out of thin air – remains a driving force behind Home Office policy. The Government should be brave enough to drop this goal, which undermines their claim to have a policy which works for the economy.

Secondly, question marks remain over the Government’s much-touted £30,000 minimum income threshold. While it’s encouraging that the Government appears to be back-tracking, it’s absurd that this option remains on the table when ministers know full well that it would decimate crucial industries – forcing small businesses to shut their doors, and inflicting a real blow to our manufacturing, creative, construction, hospitality and health and social care sectors.

Meanwhile, despite claims to the contrary, the ‘hostile environment’ appears to remain in place, contributing to the growing racism and xenophobia that is billowing through the UK’s towns and cities. Inflexible one-year work permits look set to frustrate both migrants and their employers. And, crucially, we remain none the wiser about what will happen to EU citizens living in the UK if this reckless Government drives us off a ‘no deal’ cliff edge come March 2019. The proposals revealed today are obviously designed for situation in which we live with a ‘deal’.

Yet, for all these grey areas, one clear ‘red line’ refuses to budge: the Government remains committed to ending free movement – although this hurts its own citizens and businesses. Instead, it will subject EEA nationals to the same broken immigration regime that is currently endured by non-EEA nationals – merrily ploughing the Home Office, and millions of lives, into crisis, rather than improving the overall situation. The idea of a ‘customer- focused’ Home Office could come straight out of a Christmas cracker.

‘Control’ is the message; a word that has been highlighted 57 times in this document. But these are proposals presented by a Government which, at present, seems committed to chaos and is unable deliver on anything.

The people of the UK deserve better. I, and the Greens, will continue to celebrate the gift of free movement and the immense benefits and cultural richness it has brought to our shores.”

Notes:

[1] https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-46613900

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A Green MEP has claimed that Theresa May’s new immigration proposals will be “devastating for British citizens, migrants, communities, businesses and public services”.

The Government’s new proposals, outlined this morning, will end free movement – subjecting EEA nationals to the same broken immigration system as non-EEA nationals, and creating new barriers for lower-skilled migrant workers. [1]

The new policy is in stark contrast to the 10 recommendations in Jean Lambert MEP’s recent publication, Migration and Brexit, which features essays from groups including the National Farmers’ Union, Creative Industries Federation and EEF (the manufacturers’ organisation) who are extremely concerned about the damage that will be inflicted by these policy changes. [2]

Jean Lambert, London’s Green MEP and the Green Party’s migration spokesperson, said:

“It’s deeply sad to see the Prime Minister celebrate ‘ending free movement once and for all’. In reality, we know that slamming the door on EEA nationals will be devastating – for British citizens, migrants, communities, businesses and public services.

Theresa May’s new plan is littered with problems. Among the biggest is that it’s centred on an absurd and impossible target: reducing net migration to the ‘tens of thousands. This figure – plucked out of thin air – is unnecessary, unrealistic and unworkable. It poisons the rhetoric around immigration, and leads directly to the desperately unpopular ‘hostile environment’ which has already ruined thousands of lives.

Another problem is that is completely disregards the contribution of so-called lower-skilled migrant workers, who have brought so much to our society and economy. My recent report, Migration and Brexit, highlighted that agriculture is not the only sector that relies on workers who earn less than £30,000 to flourish and grow. Without these workers the manufacturing sector could grind to a halt, small businesses be forced to shut their doors and the creative sector stifled. That’s not to mention the shattering blow that could be inflicted on the construction, haulage, hospitality, health and social care sectors, if the Government gets this wrong.

By keeping the earnings threshold, the Prime Minister has also shown that supporting the right to family life is not a priority for her Party. As a former Home Secretary she knows exactly what these thresholds do to families – yet she carries on regardless.

As the Prime Minister reminded us today, any deal on citizens’ rights is likely to be reciprocal, so she is closing the door on opportunities for UK nationals within the EU. It’s a particular disaster for our young people, who did not vote for this, and who will miss out on a wealth of social, cultural and educational opportunities.

Let’s not pretend this move is in the genuine interests of the country. The fact that Theresa May made this announcement today, rather than the Home Secretary, exposes the reality behind her hard-line approach. It’s designed to appease elements of the Tory party, and give the impression her leadership is ‘strong and stable’ as the Chequers plan continues to crumble through her fingers. It’s intended to stave off a leadership challenge, and satisfy the right-wing press.

The people of the UK deserve better.

Rather than pandering to fears, ministers should act in the overwhelming public interest. This would involve abandoning the Government’s arbitrary net migration target, protecting the benefits of free movement, and investing in integration schemes that foster better connections within communities.

The Government must work to shift the tone of the debate, stop scapegoating migrants for its own failures and invest in a positive migration policy if it hopes to reverse the economic and reputational damage being done to this country.”

Notes:

[1] https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/oct/02/eu-citizens-lose-priority-under-post-brexit-immigration-plans

[2] http://www.jeanlambertmep.org.uk/2018/09/21/new-report-london-mep-outlines-alternative-vision-for-the-uks-post-brexit-migration-policy/

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As the Government prepares to outline its proposals for a new UK immigration policy, Jean Lambert MEP has written a piece for Politics.co.uk explaining why this is likely to be extremely damaging to individuals and the economy.

Read the full article below, or on Politics.co.uk here.

This new migration policy will stifle our economy

After more than two years of speculation, Theresa May this week finally signed off plans for the UK’s post-Brexit migration system with her Cabinet. The details are being kept under wraps until the Tory conference, but the new policy appears to be largely based on the Migration Advisory Committee’s (MAC) recommendations published earlier this month.

In any rational world, you’d expect the report to contain proposals that will make life easier for both individuals and employers as we enter a rocky Brexit transition period. But of course, in Brexit Britain, nothing is that simple.

While some of the report’s findings are to be welcomed, others are quite alarming.

In recent months, I tried to do something different. I tried to put together a document which was not premised on reducing immigration, but on creating a system that works for everyone. It’s called Migration and Brexit: A call from migrants, communities and sectors for a UK migration policy that benefits all. It’s worth comparing the two.

Time to scrap the net migration target

The MAC admits the Tier 2 cap, which limits the number of non-EEA skilled workers who come to the UK with a job offer, may be “part of a political strategy to provide an impression that the system is under control” but it fails to mention the government’s broader ‘tens of thousands’ net migration target. It also stops short of addressing the Home Office’s refusal culture or its Hostile Environment policy, which has made life a misery for thousands of UK and non-UK citizens.

It’s clear that the Home Office urgently needs to be reformed, with any changes underpinned by the right to good administration – as enshrined in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.

Keep costs to a minimum for individuals and employers

The MAC report recommends extending the much-maligned Immigration Skills Charge, which charges employers a hefty sum to hire third country national workers, to apply to EEA nationals.

This is a nightmare for the UK employers. Half of the sector-based contributors to Migration and Brexit – the manufacturers’ organisation EEF, the British Medical Association, and the Creative Industries Federation – all specifically cite the charge as a policy that is extremely damaging and must be scrapped.

This is just one part of the current immigration system which causes a headache for UK employers, who slam the prohibitive costs and paperwork required to hire third country nationals. As the Federation of Small Businesses explained, 95% of small businesses have no experience of using the current points-based immigration system due to its sheer complexity.

Employers need access to lower-skilled workers

The MAC report finds that migrant workers may have a “small” negative impact on the wages of lower-skilled UK-born workers, although it notes this view is not backed up by the majority of academic studies and is “subject to uncertainty”. Yet, despite this, it still recommends restricting the number of lower-skilled EEA workers who can come to the UK post-Brexit.

This policy will be largely oriented around a salary threshold of £30,000, with exceptions in place to protect the agricultural sector. However, Migration and Brexit highlighted that agriculture is not the only sector that relies on workers who earn less than £30,000 to flourish and grow. Without lower-skilled EU workers the manufacturing sector could grind to a halt, small businesses be forced to shut their doors and the creative sector stifled. That’s not to mention the shattering blow that could be inflicted on the construction, haulage, hospitality, health and social care sectors.

In short, the UK’s current immigration system doesn’t work for third country nationals. The MAC’s recommendation that this is extended to cover EU nationals is both nonsensical and highly damaging.

A raw deal for Brits living in the EU

It’s important to remember that any deal on citizens’ rights is likely to be reciprocal, as Guy Verhofstadt recently reinforced. If the government adopts these recommendations, 1.6 million UK nationals living in the EU27 will be thrown under the Brexit bus – their rights to continue living and working freely in other European countries snatched away. It would also be a disaster for our young people, who did not vote for this, and who will miss out on a wealth of social, cultural and educational opportunities.

Let’s not pretend this move is in the genuine interests of the country. It’s born of Theresa May’s obsession with cutting migration to the tens of thousands – the same sentiment that led to Go Home vans on our streets and the Hostile Environment in our schools and hospitals. These new hard-line policies are designed to appease elements of her own party as she clings onto the leadership by her fingertips.

Rather than pandering to fears, the Government should act in the overwhelming public interest. This would involve abandoning its arbitrary net migration target, protecting the benefits of free movement, and investing in integration schemes that foster better connections within communities. Rather than slamming the door shut on EEA nationals, we need an open, fair, humane and efficient immigration policy that will benefit all.

Jean Lambert is London’s Green MEP and the Green party’s migration spokesperson.

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The Cabinet’s agreed new migration policy would be “devastating for migrants, communities, businesses and public services,” Jean Lambert MEP stated this morning.

The Government’s new proposals, reportedly agreed by the Cabinet, will end free movement – subjecting EEA nationals to the same broken immigration system as non-EEA nationals, including offering visas based on skills and wealth. [1]

The move is in stark contrast to the 10 recommendations in Jean Lambert MEP’s publication, Migration and Brexit, published last Friday, which includes essays from groups including the National Farmers’ Union, Creative Industries Federation and EEF (the manufacturers’ organisation) who are concerned about the direction of Government policy. [2]

Jean Lambert, London’s Green MEP and the Green Party’s migration spokesperson, said:

“Theresa May’s decision to end free movement will be devastating for migrants, communities, businesses and public services.

My new report, Migration and Brexit, out last week, highlighted that agriculture is not the only sector that relies on workers who earn less than £30,000 to flourish and grow. Without these workers the manufacturing sector could grind to a halt, small businesses be forced to shut their doors and the creative sector stifled. That’s not to mention the shattering blow that could be inflicted on the construction, haulage, hospitality, health and social care sectors, if the Government gets this wrong.

It’s important to remember that any deal on citizens’ rights is likely to be reciprocal. This decision throws 1.6 million UK nationals living in the EU27 under the Brexit bus – snatching away their rights to continue living and working freely in other European countries. It’s also a disaster for our young people, who did not vote for this, and who will miss out on a wealth of social, cultural and educational opportunities.

Let’s not pretend this move is in the genuine interests of the country. It’s born of Theresa May’s obsession with cutting migration to the ‘tens of thousands’ – the same sentiment that led to ‘Go Home’ vans on our streets, and the hostile environment in our schools and hospitals. It’s a policy designed to appease elements of her own party as she clings onto the leadership by her fingertips.

Rather than pandering to fears, ministers should act in the overwhelming public interest. This would involve abandoning its arbitrary net migration target, protecting the benefits of free movement, and investing in integration schemes that foster better connections within communities.

Rather than slamming the door shut on EEA nationals, we need an open, fair, humane and efficient immigration policy that will benefit all.”

Notes:

[1] https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/sep/24/theresa-may-calls-for-immigration-based-on-skills-and-wealth

[2] http://www.jeanlambertmep.org.uk/2018/09/21/new-report-london-mep-outlines-alternative-vision-for-the-uks-post-brexit-migration-policy/

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To coincide with the launch of Jean Lambert MEP’s new report, Migration and Brexit: A call from migrants, communities and sectors for a UK migration policy that benefits all, she has written a blog post on its recommendations for Metro.

Read the full article below, or on the Metro website here.

Free movement of EEA nationals must continue after Brexit – a fair policy will benefit us all

In some ways, the long-awaited Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) report on European Economic Area (EEA) migration to the UK provided a breath of fresh air. While it’s far from perfect, it does finally bury some persistent myths.

It confirms that EEA migrants pay more in UK taxes than they receive in benefits. They contribute more to the NHS than they use in its services. They bring training opportunities for the UK-born workforce, and increase levels of productivity and innovation.

Moreover – in news that will particularly sting for some elements of the right-wing press – EEA migration has no impact on crime levels, does not reduce parents’ choice of schools for their children, and has little effect on the wages of UK-born workers.

These findings beg the question, why exactly is the Government so committed to ending free movement for EEA nationals? The answer, I fear, is that ministers are set on building a new UK migration policy which is rooted in ideology and self-preservation – not the realities of modern Britain.

As the UK prepares to leave the EU, we need the Government to stop burying its head in the sand and listen to the needs of migrants, communities, social partners and businesses.

That’s why I commissioned my own report, asking representatives of these groups to outline what they need from the UK’s post-Brexit migration policy vis-à-vis EU nationals.

The result, Migration and Brexit, contains essays from legal and rights-based organisations (such as Migrants’ Rights Network, Permits Foundation and the TUC), sector bodies (including the BMA, National Farmers’ Union and Federation of Small Businesses), and voices that are too often excluded from this conversation (such as the British Youth Council and British in Europe).

Several recommendations shine through.

First and foremost: on a practical level, we need free movement, both permanent and temporary.

There’s a strong sense among rights-based organisations and sectors that, if the free movement of people ends, the UK will need a post-Brexit migration system that guarantees similar flexibility and ease of movement to that which exists today.

This includes the plethora of EU legislation that the UK Government has, so far, barely mentioned – including visa-free travel, arrangements for posted workers, and the recognition of professional qualifications.

These legal terms may not sound sexy, but they’re important. They keep families together, public services functioning, and businesses operating.

Secondly, it’s time for Theresa May to finally ditch her impossible net migration target and its toxic by-product: the Home Office’s refusal culture.

An overhaul of the Home Office must also scrap the deeply unpopular ‘hostile environment’ that treats individuals as potential immigration offenders waiting to breach the law, rather than honest people trying to navigate a frighteningly complex gauntlet of requirements.

These reforms should be underpinned by the right to good administration, which is enshrined in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights (although given the Home Office’s dismal track record of making simple admin errors, it’s no wonder the Government is intent on ripping up this valuable piece of ‘red-tape’ after Brexit).

Furthermore, any new migration system must work for the people using it – it needs to be easy to access, with costs kept to a minimum.

Despite the MAC report’s proposals to extend the ‘minimum income threshold’ and the ‘immigration skills charge’ to apply to both non-EEA and EEA nationals, a number of voices warn this would be these are extremely damaging to businesses seeking to attract and retain talent.

It’s particularly striking that, according to the Federation of Small Businesses, 95% of small businesses have no experience of using the current non-EEA immigration system due to its sheer complexity.

If the Government insists on expanding this legislation to apply to EEA nationals, it will tear more families apart, cause blockages in supply chains, and put small operations out of business.

Should, as the MAC report suggests, the policies applying to EEA and non-EEA nationals become aligned – they must be raised up, not stripped down.

The benefits of free movement can’t simply be charted on a balance sheet. Free movement helps to define the UK’s identity and place in the world; its respect for different peoples and cultures; and openness to new ideas, innovations and partnerships.

That’s why, together, we’re calling on the Government to build a migration policy that recognises and protects migrants’ immense contribution to our society and economy.

It must work to shift the tone of the debate, stop scapegoating migrants for its own failures and invest in integration if it hopes to reverse the economic and reputational damage being done to this country.

Immigration has largely been side-lined so far in the Brexit negotiations – treated as an elephant in the room, rather than a building block of the UK’s economy and a core part of millions’ of citizens lives and identities.

Now it’s in the spotlight, the Government must act in the overwhelming public interest.

I urge ministers to engage with my recommendations, and use them to construct an open, fair, humane and efficient immigration policy that will genuinely benefit all.

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Jean Lambert, London’s Green MEP and the Green Party’s migration spokesperson, today launches a major new publication: Migration and Brexit: A call from migrants, communities and sectors for a UK migration policy that benefits all.

It contains a collection of essays from legal and rights-based groups (including Migrants’ Rights Network, British Future and the TUC), sector bodies (including the National Farmers’ Union, Federation of Small Businesses, BMA and the Creative Industries Federation) and other important voices (the British Youth Council and British in Europe) – full list of contributors below.

Each contributor has outlined what they will need from the UK’s post-Brexit migration policy vis-a-vis EU nationals. Jean Lambert MEP rounds these into ten concrete policy recommendations for the UK Government.

Together, they send a strong message to the Government: we need a migration policy that recognises and protects migrants’ immense contribution to our economy and society.

Read the report in full here.

Jean Lambert, London’s Green MEP and the Green Party’s migration spokesperson, said:

“The Government’s determination to end free movement shows that it’s completely out of touch with the needs and realities of modern Britain. As this collection of essays shows, continuing along its current path will cause immense damage to individuals, communities, businesses, and Britain’s reputation on the world stage.

The Government can’t take crucial decisions, which will affect future generations, in an echo chamber. And while the Migration Advisory Committee report, published this week, acknowledges the immense contribution of EEA migrants to the UK’s economy, it doesn’t go nearly far enough to safeguard their rights and protections.

It’s time for a fresh approach. Rather than pandering to fears over immigration, ministers need to act in the overwhelming public interest. This would involve abandoning its arbitrary net migration target which feeds the hostile environment, protecting the benefits of free movement, and investing in integration schemes that foster better connections within communities.

I urge the Government to listen to the voices in this collection, and use them to construct an open, fair, humane and efficient immigration policy that will benefit all.”

Ten recommendations to the UK Government

1.    End the hostile environment
2.    Do not diverge from the current free movement system
3.    Ensure the system is simple, transparent and accessible
4.    Ensure the system is low-cost and affordable
5.    Scrap the net migration target and end the refusal culture
6.    Secure an adequate intake of workers across all skill levels, from ‘low’ to ‘high’ skilled
7.    Guarantee there will be no further restrictions on family rights
8.    Keep pace with the EU on workers’ rights
9.    Invest in integration
10.    Remain open to the world and to our neighbours

Full list of contributors

Jan Doerfel Chambers: Jan Doerfel, Direct Access Immigration Barrister
Migrants’ Rights Network: Rita Chadha, Interim Director
British Future: Jill Rutter, Director of Strategy and Relationships
TUC (Trades Union Congress): Rosa Crawford, Policy Officer, and Elena Crasta, European Officer
Permits Foundation: Kathleen Van Der Wilk-Carlton, Board Member
NFU (National Farmers’ Union): Tamara Hill, Employment and Skills Adviser
EEF (the manufacturers’ organisation): Tim Thomas, Director of Employment and Skills Policy
FSB (Federation of Small Businesses): Michael Lassman, Regional Chairman – London
BMA (British Medical Association): Paul Laffin, EU Public Affairs Manager
Creative Industries Federation: Samuel Young, Deputy Head of Policy and Public Affairs
Centre for Global Higher Education: Dr Ludovic Highman, Senior Research Associate
British Youth Council: Lucia Jones, UK Young Ambassador
British in Europe: The Steering Committee, British in Europe

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“It’s time to deal in the facts,” says Jean Lambert – London’s Green MEP and the Green Party’s migration spokesperson – following the release of the Migration Advisory Commission’s report [1].

The MAC report comes days before Jean is due to launch her own publication on this issue ‘Brexit and Migration: A call from migrants, communities and sectors for a UK migration policy that benefits all’.

Jean’s publication features essays from the representatives of legal and rights-based organisations (including Migrants’ Rights Network, British Future and the TUC), sector bodies (including the BMA, NFU and FSB) and often excluded voices (British Youth Council and British in Europe), reaching 10 conclusions that the Government must incorporate into any future migration policy.

Jean Lambert, London’s Green MEP and the Green Party’ migration spokesperson, said in response:

“The Migration Advisory Commission’s report, published today, debunks many – if not all – of those arguments thrown around in recent years to discredit free movement and immigrants.

The report finds that migrants pay more in taxes than they receive in benefits. They contribute more to the health service than they consume. There is no evidence that they increase crime. They have a positive impact on wages, productivity and innovation as well as on the quality of training for the UK workforce.

The message is clear: given these realities it is time to the change the largely negative language and tone around immigration. The Government must work in the public interest to detoxify the immigration debate, deal in the facts, and stop making migrants pay a harsh price for Government failures.

While the MAC report looks at immigration in isolation from the Brexit negotiations, as it is clearly not party to those conversations, my own report on the topic – Migration and Brexit – due out tomorrow, addresses where we are now and listens to the calls from a range of sectors which will be affected by any changes to migration policy vis-a-vis EEA nationals.

Like the MAC report, my publication recommends developing a simple, accessible system. However, in contrast to today’s report, my contributors and I urge the Government to scrap its impossible and unrealistic net migration figure of ‘tens of thousands’, and to commit to ensuring employers can access the workers they need – regardless of their skill level and with their rights fully protected..

Crucially, my publication also calls for an end to any type of hostile language and policies around immigration. As the MAC report repeats, “impacts of migration often depend on other government policies”. It highlights that where there may be some perceived impacts of immigration, this is more often due to the Government’s own poor record in off-setting increases in demand – for example, in community resources and social housing.

It’s time we start thinking seriously about developing skills training and ending poverty wages for everyone in the UK. We need to respond to the facts, and listen to immigrants, receiving communities and social partners to make sure we make migration a positive experience for all.”

[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/migration-advisory-committee-mac-report-eea-migration

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Last month, Jean Lambert – London’s Green MEP – wrote to the Home Secretary Sajid Javid to express concern over the astronomical fees charged for immigration and nationality applications.

Today she has submitted a response to a call for evidence from the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration, as part of an investigation into the Home Office’s approach to charging for its services.

In the submission, Jean states that the exorbitant charges have a particular impact on children with an entitlement to British citizenship, which is in conflict with the UK government’s international obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Read Jean’s full response in PDF format here.

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