Bristol West MP Thangam Debbonaire has spoken up about the controversial migration bill which will bar entry to asylum seekers arriving on small boats. The illegal migration bill passed through the House of Commons with a majority of 62 votes despite Labour's attempt to defeat it.
The new piece of legislation proposed by the Conservative party has raised concerns from the UN refugee agency due to being a 'clear breach of the refugee convection'. Home Secretary Suella Braverman said herself in a letter to MPs obtained by The Huffington Post that she was unable to confirm that the new bill was not a breach of International Human Right's law.
Several Conservative MPs, including former Prime Minister Theresa May and Chris Skidmore MP for Kingswood, were among a small handful of Conservative MPs who criticised the bill which would see the removal of protections for victims of sex trafficking and modern day slavery as well as unaccompanied children. Despite a handful of oppositional tweets and comments from a tiny minority of Conservatives, over 90 per cent of their MPs voted in favour while less than half a dozen abstained with none actually voting against the bill.
READ MORE: Carol Vorderman supports Gary Lineker after BBC host’s attack on migrant plan
Reflecting on yesterday's vote, MP for Bristol West Thangam Debbonaire said: “Yesterday, I voted against the government’s appalling, unjust and unworkable ‘Illegal Migration Bill’, during its second reading in the House of Commons. This Bill is an unworkable piece of legislation in response to the arrival of asylum seekers by small boats across the Channel.
"I also want to stop these dangerous crossings that are putting lives at risk, but the way the government is doing it is totally wrong. Ministers need instead to deal with the backlog of asylum applications, improve the safe and legal routes such as family reunion and resettlement schemes, crack down on criminal smuggler gangs and tackle humanitarian crises at source.
"The overwhelming majority of the millions of people worldwide fleeing war and persecution remain displaced in their own country or living in refugee camps in neighbouring countries. The much smaller proportion who make their way to the UK often do so because they have a link to our country.
"I am proud of Bristol’s status as a City of Sanctuary, welcoming asylum seekers and refugees." Ms Debbonaire added that Labour proposed an amendment to the bill which was rejected by the government and that as an MP she has opposed the bill at every opportunity.
In response to Gary Lineker's row with the BBC over comments he made in opposition to the government's migration policy, Ms Debbonaire added: "I am pleased that Gary Lineker and football coverage will be back on the BBC this weekend. This government has long wanted to undermine the BBC.
"They appointed a BBC Chair who is now being investigated over his personal links to the Conservative Party. The ongoing uncertainties around the future of the BBC have made it susceptible to political campaigns.
"This saga should prompt the government to examine how it protects and promotes a truly independent and impartial BBC.” Richard Sharp, the current chair of the BBC and former banker who used to work with Rishi Sunak at JP Morgan, has held the position since 2021.
The recent suspension of Gary Lineker has lead to fresh calls for the resignation of the prominent Conservative party donor who has given away over £400,000 to the Conservative party. Mr Sharp had already been under investigation prior to the controversy surrounding the treatment of the popular football presenter due to allegations that he had helped Boris Johnson secure a £800,000 loan just weeks before he was given the role at the BBC.
The Home Office has been approached for comment
READ NEXT:
Outcry as Bristol City Council "dismantles" youth services and slashes vital 1-2-1 support
What happened when 100 asylum seekers arrived in a rural community near Bristol
Bristol woman fears for her family in Afghanistan and criticises government's resettlement scheme
Charity volunteers recall West Bank attacks while picking olives in Palestine
