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‘Wales is a nation of sanctuary’ – Welsh Government condemns controversial small boats bill

07 Mar 2023 2 minute read
Asylum seekers arriving in Dover onboard a Border Force vessel following a small boat incident in the Channel (Photo: Gareth Fuller)

The Welsh Government has condemned the Home Secretary’s plans to prevent people entering the UK on small boats from seeking asylum calling it “a huge waste of human potential”.

The prime minister and Home Secretary Suella Braverman will launch the legislation this week, as part of the government’s drive to “tackle illegal migration”.

The new Illegal Migration Bill would involve a duty being placed on the home secretary to remove asylum seekers arriving by small boats to Rwanda or a “safe third country”.

People seeking sanctuary who arrive will also be prevented from claiming asylum while in the UK, with plans to also ban them from returning once removed.

Welcoming

Attempts to deport people to Rwanda have so far been blocked by the courts under human rights laws and campaigners have heavily criticised the plans.

A spokesperson from the Welsh Government said: “Wales is a Nation of Sanctuary with a long history of welcoming refugees, and we continue to value and benefit from their skills, entrepreneurial spirit and the sharing of their cultures.

“It’s vitally important for the future of Wales that we harness the ability of all that come to make a new life here.

“We call on the Home Secretary to find ways to develop safe and legal routes to the UK which do not require dangerous journeys and to ensure those already here can contribute fully to our society.

“These proposals will likely lead to a huge waste of human potential and see the backlog of 160,000 asylum cases extended even further.

“They are unworkable but will still do huge damage to those seeking sanctuary whilst failing to solve the issues.”


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Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
1 year ago

Who was the ‘spokesperson’, we are all on first name terms here?

I wonder if Max or Bryn read out a statement from the government of Cymru to the PM while they were munching on Lobster and supping Adam’s Ale…

I must confess it made me a little sick when I first read it…

Last edited 1 year ago by Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
1 year ago
Reply to  Mab Meirion

I’ve always thought of Cymru as a ‘country of sanctuary’, it is a better starting place than that increasingly ugly hostile environment next door. We must keep that thought as our mantra for the future, a country with a big heart and a belief in fair play…

Gareth
Gareth
1 year ago

The Labour Gov of Cymru, while supporting the UK and readily accepting being members of this union, must also accept the rules laid down by the UK, no matter how far to the right and how inhumane they maybe. You are either in or out, and at present the choose to be in. No amount of strongly worded letters will ever alter the approach of a Tory UK Gov.

Riki
Riki
1 year ago
Reply to  Gareth

Exactly! The Welsh are probably the most hypocritical and politically ignorant people on this earth. All I here is moan moan and moan, yet nothing the English do that they disagree with is ever enough to wake them up.

Cwm Rhondda
Cwm Rhondda
1 year ago
Reply to  Gareth

One of the problems facing the British Labour party in Wales is that they know many Labour voters hold right wing views. They only vote Labour because that’s what they’ve always done. Many Labour voters in the South Wales valleys will support the disgusting Tory ‘Stop the boats’ soundbite. A slogan ominously similar to that idiot Trump’s ‘Build the wall’.

Roy
Roy
1 year ago

What is so wrong with France that people want to take the risk

George Thomas
George Thomas
1 year ago
Reply to  Roy

Macron’s frequent cultural (non-physical, policy based) attacks on certain religious groups?

Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
1 year ago
Reply to  George Thomas

Not to mention a violent and abusive police force…

Leigh Richards
Leigh Richards
1 year ago

Fine words from the welsh labour govt’s ‘spokesperson’ but the reality is Wales doesnt have the powers to be a Nation of Sanctuary in law, and asylum seekers and refugees in wales are still being seized and deported by officers working for the UK home office. Furthermore welsh labour are silent on the fact you can hardly get a cigarette paper between the uk tory govt and uk labour when it comes to sounding right wing on immigration

George Thomas
George Thomas
1 year ago

We need a system where people are processed, cases decided upon, and are able to appeal decision in fair way, as quickly and effectively as possible. (Small boats, unsafe and potentially run by criminals, is far from that). The reason we don’t have safe, quick, efficient system currently is inefficiency of the Home Office and unwillingness of Westminster government to make it possible. No one really believes that this Tory government can stop small boats or take action they’re describing today. Who would make it possible? The same inefficient Home Office who are struggling with their current work? This Tory… Read more »

Iago Prydderch
Iago Prydderch
1 year ago

The Welsh government can’t look after the people of Wales let alone refugees. Wales will “benefit from…the sharing of their cultures”, but where’s the santuary to protect our language, culture and heritage sites?

Ivor Schilling
Ivor Schilling
1 year ago
Reply to  Iago Prydderch

Bravo, bro!

Brechdan Wncomunco
1 year ago

Whatever the Tories propose Labour Welsh or otherwise will oppose. What plans does Drakeford have? Silence.

Brechdan Wncomunco
1 year ago

Absolute silence.

Ivor Schilling
Ivor Schilling
1 year ago

Here’s a thought: Why doesn’t Sunak sidestep the ‘controversy’ (of trying to control UK borders) by simply alerting those arriving to the fact that Wales is the place most welcoming of them, and send buses down the M4 for a warm reception outside the Senedd?

Maybe those arriving could then be distributed around the Betsi Cadwaladr Health Authority area, to try to alleviate the pressures now facing the services here?

Just following the logic of the ‘Welsh Government’. Its great once you’re onboard with all this, it really is.

Last edited 1 year ago by Ivor Schilling
A.Redman
A.Redman
1 year ago
Reply to  Ivor Schilling

“A welcome” but not in North Wales?

Charles Coombes
Charles Coombes
1 year ago

Good news. Maybe Wales can lead the way to help all refugees not just those from the Ukraine.

Doctor Trousers
1 year ago

All very well condemning it, that’s the least I would expect from anyone with a shred of basic human decency (or sanity, for that matter), but we need an urgent conversation about the impending threat it represents for devolution. We know the tories want to scrap the Human Rights Act, which ensures compliance with the European Convention on Human Rights, so they can replace it with a new British Bill of Rights. Introducing unworkable immigration legislation (in my opinion deliberately unworkable), which is almost certainly in direct conflict with the HRA, is a major step towards scrapping the act. They… Read more »

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