Tag Archives: christine jardine mp

It’s been three years since we were first promised the Domestic Violence Bill by Theresa May. Ever since then, the Bill has been dogged by delay.

I’m relieved that it’s finally making its way through the House of Commons, and honoured to be among the group of MPs entrusted with scrutinising the detail of the legislation as it goes through the Public Bill Committee.

It’s hugely important legislation, and in the current Covid-19 crisis, its need is acutely felt by those who might feel more trapped than ever. We need to get this right and leave no one to face this kind of abuse alone – no matter who they are, their gender, race, sexuality, age, religion or indeed their immigration status.

During the evidence session earlier this week, I was struck by the evidence given by migrant women who are survivors of domestic violence – and by how amazing brave they are. One woman moved to the UK from Brazil with her UK partner and two children. Eight months after she moved here, her partner turned violent. She fled from the house with her eldest child. But when she went to the Home Office for help to return to Brazil because her visa had run out, she was told she would have to wait for seven days. She was given no financial support or accommodation and had no choice but to sleep on the street. Her situation is still precarious – living from one short-term visa to the next. Because of her immigration status, she can’t access public funds.

That’s simply not good enough. And that’s why the Liberal Democrats are supporting a set of amendments proposed by Step Up Migrant Women – a campaign by and for migrant Black and Minority Ethnic women to support migrant women to access protection from abuse.

The first of the amendments would ensure that survivors of abuse can get access to the financial support they need by creating an exemption to the No Recourse to Public Funds rule. Currently, depending on your immigration status, you can’t receive help such as housing benefit, universal credit or child benefit. So if you’re a survivor of domestic violence and you are, for example, on a student visa or a spousal visa, there is no help for you. It is hard to avoid the conclusion that this Government cares more about an individual’s immigration status than either their well-being or human rights. That is not acceptable.