Tim Farron was up in Scotland today, on his first visit since becoming leader.. He hosted a roundtable session in Edinburgh with the Scottish Refugee Council, Amnesty and the Refugee Women’s Strategy Group. Issues discussed included devolution and refugees, making asylum work for women and what political parties could do in the UK and Scotland to campaign for fairer treatment of vulnerable refugees.
Here they are having their discussions:
.@willie_rennie & @timfarron meeting with @scotrefcouncil & @AmnestyScotland to talk about the Calais crisis. pic.twitter.com/oStSFNGT5c
— Scot Lib Dems (@scotlibdems) August 27, 2015
Amnesty’s Scottish Director welcomed the meeting:
Great to meet @timfarron and @willie_rennie today to discuss the migrant and refugee crisis in Europe. Positive, humane response.
— Naomi Mc (@NaomiMc) August 27, 2015
After the meeting, Tim said:
It is tragic that so many lives have been lost in the Mediterranean. The situation in Calais is just the tip the global humanitarian crisis which has seen 60 million people forced to flee from their homes.
I am determined the Liberal Democrats will lead the liberal case for a compassionate approach to the plight of refugees.
On my first visit to Scotland as leader I wanted to meet with humanitarian groups to establish what political leaders can do to change the tone of this debate.
I believe we can build a broader, liberal platform for change which could embarrass the Tories into action.
I hope that the SNP and Labour will show a willingness to put aside political differences and back our calls for action.
Willie Rennie added:
I pay tribute to these organisations for the incredible work they do day in and day out to support refugees living in Scotland.
I was interested to hear more about what the Scottish party can do to ensure refugees are better supported in communities across Scotland.
The protection the human rights of refugees also transcends party politics. This is why we need more partnership working between the UK Government, the Scottish Government and local councils.
Tim also spent time meeting members for a lively question and answer session (of which more tomorrow) and also met both broadcast and print journalists.
* Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings. You can find her on Bluesky at caronmlindsay.bsky.social
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8 Comments
All very well, but the problem lies in the numbers. Eight hundred thousand expected in Germany this year; Serbia and Macedonia asking for an EU strategy to deal with the numbers crossing their borders. Not much forthcoming. A strategy is desperately needed. The mess in the Middle East is spreading. Not surprising that these people risk their lives – anything is better than what is happening in their home countries. Their countries have been destabilized, bombed and subject to war for years. This is what happens when you completely screw up foreign policy.
There are three possible strategies. The first option is to try and accommodate a large and increasingly large number of refugees. The numbers will eventually run into many millions, maybe tens of millions. That is if the whole of Africa doesn’t decide to come. It could easily get completely out of control. Bear in mind that most of these people will not speak a european language and are unlikely to fit into european society. Also expect a rise in extremism. Both local and from muslim extremists.
The second, hard option is to closely control the borders and take seriously the stabilization of Middle East countries. Dropping bombs will not do. This will involve confronting IS and imposing order on those states. I very much doubt Europe or America have the spine, stomach or energy for such a project.
The third option is to do what Britain is trying to do – keep everyone out and ignore the humanitarian consequences. Even this option will require organization and effort.
Unfortunately, I think they will go for what I consider the worst option -the first, easy option. I have very little confidence in the UK/US/Europe to deal with foreign affairs competently. It is the biggest challenge facing Europe. A very sad state of affairs.
I think that genuine refugees who are fleeing war and are being registered in the EU who say they want to apply for asylum in Scotland, then that should be decision for Scotland and the Scottish Government not the UK Westminster Government. Scotland should have the power to help the refugees because they deserve it from the friendly people of Scotland.
I don’t think any refugees are specifically requesting asylum in Scotland. That’s assuming the subtleties of devolved UK politics are appreciated by your average Eritrean refugee.
Will 27th Aug ’15 – 11:27pm “I think that genuine refugees who are fleeing war and are being registered in the EU who say they want to apply for asylum in Scotland, then that should be decision for Scotland and the Scottish Government not the UK Westminster Government. Scotland should have the power to help the refugees because they deserve it from the friendly people of Scotland.”
Stephen W 28th Aug ’15 – 10:04am “I don’t think any refugees are specifically requesting asylum in Scotland. That’s assuming the subtleties of devolved UK politics are appreciated by your average Eritrean refugee.”
Stephen: The people smugglers look for loopholes in systems, resources and compliance. Please do not underestimate them.
Will: Please bear in mind that asylum is currently granted by individual member states of the 1951 Convention relating to the status of refugees. If Scotland were to become independent, opt in to the 1951 convention and grant asylum the refugees it had recognised would be confined to Scotland or needing to seek to maintain their refugee status if they leave.
Please also bear in mind that within the UK Glasgow is one of the places which voluntarilt offered housing to refugees, albeit, as in Liverpool, often in buildings that others dislike.
Some people do, of course, arrive in Scottish sea-ports or airports and claim asylum on arrival. Others arrive at Dover or Heathrow, etcetera, claim asylum, are refused with right of appeal, are transferred to housing waiting for the appeal hearing and find that their appeal hearing is heard in Scotland.
Immigration law is the same, the 1951 Convention is the same, the Human Rights Act is the same, but somehow the interpretations seem to be different and more favourable to the appellant. Once recognised as a refugee and after implementation of the grant, he/she is free to move about the UK and seek work.
Will: “genuine refugees who are fleeing war ” . Sorry, i should have made clear that this definition is broader than the 1951 UN convention and broader than the Human Rights convention. They may have fled war, they may have crossed an international frontier, but to be recognised as convention refugees they would also need to demonstrate a well founded fear of persecution for a convention reason. Many would truly prefer to return to their country of origin when the war is over and many do, depending in part on how long the war lasts.
For instance when the former “Socialist Federation of Yugoslavia” disintegrated Slovenia emerged quickly as an independent country with about 12 deaths and Slovenes were able to return to a peaceful country, which was also relatively prosperous compared with its neighbours in the former Yugoslavia, There was prolonged and bitter fighting in the other republics.
I am deeply ashamed of my country.i
The response to the appalling inhumanity that Europe and the UK is displaying to this tragic situation is beyond belief.
The numbers of migrants are great but not so great that they could not be assimilated into the EU.
Many are professional trained people. I doubt that they will wish to stay once their countries are stable again eg Syria. Why on earth would they?
Do we need an intellectual high minded debate. We don’t need to build a fence. We have the ocean and the media.
Does anyone else worry that one day, retribution may be demanded from those we have treated so cruelly for decades. We have robbed and perpetrated wars and horrors on these nations for years.
We are Liberals. But I hear very small voices calling for action and for justice. There may be only 8 MPs. But there are many many of us wanting to make our voices heard I am sure.
“The numbers of migrants are great but not so great that they could not be assimilated into the EU.”
Until they demand to bring their families over.
And the next lot come.
And the next.
Where are you going to draw the line? Germany is already suffering civil unrest. France is preparing for it big-time. There is already a fifth column in this country intent on doing us harm, evidenced by the number of terrorist plots thwarted by the police and security services.
AndrewMcC 28th Aug ’15 – 4:38pm
We need to stop the war in Syria, but how? There is a failure of international diplomacy.
As for the numbers, sad to say that rising prosperity leads to increasing ability to pay and reduced willingness.
Countries which have had a tradition of emigration understand better. Italians used to have a queue a hundred years long for emigration to the USA.
In 1956 the anti-communist revolution in Hungary was suppressed with tanks by the USSR and Warsaw pact countries. Refugees went everywhere. Those that arrived in the Irish Republic were treated considerately and compassionately by the population and the church, but not, according to reports, by the elected politicians.