Author Archives: Suzanne Fletcher

Suzanne Fletcher

Opinion: 3 real life reasons why we need a fair asylum system and 3 chances to argue the case

By Suzanne Fletcher | Wed 11th September 2013 - 11:18 am

I am going to write about 3 people who sought sanctuary in the UK.  All people I know well.

K came here, fleeing from the terror on Mugabe’s Zimbabwe. She is a strong determined person, passionate about democracy, and held a good responsible job in administration and had children. She fled here, in fear of her life, leaving job and family behind.  She has not been given permission to stay here, but as we all must know by now, Zimbabwe is not a safe place to return to.  So she had no job, no benefits, and no home. She does voluntary …

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Posted in News | Tagged , and | 6 Comments
Suzanne Fletcher

An open letter from working group & FPC members on Nick Clegg’s immigration speech

By Suzanne Fletcher | Tue 26th March 2013 - 4:45 pm

As members of the body setting up a review of Liberal Democrat policy on immigration and identity under Andrew Stunell MP, or members of the review itself, we feel the need to put a few facts in the public domain following Nick Clegg’s speech on Friday.

It would have been helpful had we been made aware of the contents in advance.  It would have been very helpful if members of the Policy Working Group had been sent an embargoed copy of the speech the night before.

There was much in the speech that reiterated Liberal values on immigration; indeed much of it …

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Posted in News and Op-eds | Tagged , and | 22 Comments
Suzanne Fletcher

After the ending of child detention – what next?

By Suzanne Fletcher | Sun 7th October 2012 - 2:15 pm

After the moving and amazing presentation and big “thank you” to the Lib Dems from Citizens UK on the Sunday morning of conference, for ending the detention of children of asylum seekers, what could possibly follow it?

The next day the newly formed “Liberal Democrats for Seekers of Sanctuary”, along with Citizens UK, met in a nearby Church Hall. Those who had been, and were going through, the asylum process in the UK and were connected with both Citizens UK and Movement for Justice had come down to tell their stories. There to listen were members of the House …

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Posted in Europe / International and News | Tagged , and | 7 Comments
Suzanne Fletcher

New Liberal Democrat group to help seekers of sanctuary

By Suzanne Fletcher | Thu 24th May 2012 - 11:27 am

Liberal Democrats, as a party, have a proud record of standing up for the way our country views and treats with compassion and humanity those who seek sanctuary in our country. This culminated in the ending of the detention of children in the notorious Yarlswood, and the opening of the new pre departure accommodation at Cedars, for those families with children who were sadly being returned to their country of origin.

As well as actions as a party though, there are very many individuals who are both concerned about, and working with and for, asylum seekers in their locality.  This ranges …

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Posted in Op-eds | Tagged , and | 4 Comments
Suzanne Fletcher

Opinion: The need to treat asylum seekers with dignity

By Suzanne Fletcher | Mon 16th April 2012 - 10:54 am

At a meeting organised by Thrive last Friday the usually silent and ignored voices of asylum seekers and refugees were heard by those who need to hear.

For some time now those housed under a contract given by the UK Borders Agency (UKBA) to a local private housing provider had been experiencing problems that no decent person in our country would find acceptable. Some had complained to the housing provider, but been met with …

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Posted in Op-eds | Tagged | 2 Comments
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