Obviously issues around refugees and asylum seekers are not top of the agenda in this election, but the issues often get raised at hustings, particularly those in places of worship, and those asking are the sort of people who vote, and tell others.
Lib Dems for Seekers of Sanctuary have done a “mini manifesto” based on Lib Dem policies on these issues that is handy to have for quick reference. It is on our website here
Also we have detailed briefings on issues in more detail. For instance on detention, right to work, decision making, Family Reunion, and LGBT+ issues affecting asylum seekers. Also on Refugees, including unaccompanied children. They are in our “documents” section of our website, here.
We are happy to send word documents or PDFs of any of these. If issues come up in the campaign, or you are asked questions, please do get in touch at [email protected] and we will do what we can to help.
A huge amount of time and effort has gone into making these policies, and condensing into handy formats. They are there to use. For very many years Lord Roger Roberts has been campaigning for the right of asylum seekers to work. We made our policy on ending indefinite detention for immigration purposes, along with many other issues, in 2014. These were expanded and new one’s added in 2018. With policies on “Safe Routes for Refugees” and “Communicating in English” being added in between. Our policies reflect our Liberal Democrat values too. Details may change, our values don’t.
Don’t let Labour or anyone else steal credit for our policies.
* Suzanne Fletcher was a councillor for nearly 30 years and a voluntary advice worker with the CAB for 40 years. Now retired, she is active as a campaigner in the community both as a Lib Dem and with local organisations and author of "Bold as Brass?", the story of Brass Crosby.
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One Comment
Well said Suzanne. You are absolutely right, we have strong, distinctive and principled policies on all these human rights issues and I’m sure asylum and migration WILL be issues during this campaign. Already the other two main parties are trying to outbid each other on reducing numbers, with no discussion of our needs for a skilled and willing multinational workforce not just for the NHS where the need is obvious and overwhelming but also in construction, agriculture, and of course in science. I only hope that all our wonderful candidates ARE being well-briefed and don’t fall into any elephant traps at the Hustings meetings, the briefings on the Lib Dem Seekers of Sanctuary site are certainly worth reading. They also need to know that the largest proportion of migration is about family reunion.
ALL our policies are evidence-based, arrived at after many hours of taking and discussing independent, external expert evidence in the Working Groups, crystalised into policy papers for further discussion at FPC before going to Conference for debate and approval by the membership. We are proud of this way of working, to arm our candidates with facts they can rely on, rather than media-generated froth and nonsense.