Demonstrators rally outside Parliament as MPs debate government’s new asylum and migration

March 13, 2023 – London: Hundreds of protesters gathered in Parliament Square on Monday evening to voice their opposition to the UK government’s controversial Illegal Migration Bill, as MPs debated the proposed legislation in the House of Commons. The protest, organized in response to the bill, brought together individuals and groups who are critical of the government’s stance on asylum seekers and refugees.

The demonstration began around the Winston Churchill statue, with protesters chanting slogans like “What do we want? Safe passage. When do we want it? Now,” and “Who built the NHS? Migrants built the NHS.” Many held placards that read, “Migrants and refugees welcome here: blame austerity, not migrants,” reflecting the growing sentiment against the bill’s provisions.

The Illegal Migration Bill, which aims to stop asylum seekers arriving via small boats from claiming asylum, has faced widespread condemnation. Among its provisions are plans to ban those removed from the country from returning, significantly tightening the UK’s asylum process. Asylum seekers currently have the right to remain in the country until their cases are heard, a right the bill seeks to curtail.

As the bill passed its second reading in the House of Commons later that evening, with a vote of 312 in favour and 250 against, demonstrators continued their rally, expressing deep concerns about its potential impact on vulnerable people. Kolbassia Haoussou MBE, co-founder of Survivors Speak Out, a group representing victims of torture, addressed the crowd. He argued that the bill would not stop people from seeking refuge but would drive them toward even more dangerous routes. “When people are fleeing, there’s nothing in this world that can stop them,” Haoussou said.

Stephen Flynn, a Scottish National Party (SNP) MP, also spoke out against the bill, accusing the Conservative government of using xenophobic rhetoric to demonize migrants. “The Tories talk of invasions, of swarms … They’re lying, it’s as simple as that,” he said, adding that the government should be offering help, not hostility.

Labour MP Nadia Whittome echoed those sentiments, calling for an end to the dehumanizing language used by Conservative MPs. “People arriving on our shores, they’re not an invasion, they’re not queue jumpers, they’re not criminals, they’re not illegal. They’re people just like you and me,” Whittome told the protestors.

The rally was attended by a range of people from all walks of life, including Denise Tolan, a 59-year-old retired teacher from Wokingham, who described the proposed law as “vile, hateful, and divisive.” Tolan further criticized the bill for pandering to xenophobia, adding that it did not represent the values of the British people. “It’s shameful,” she said, expressing disbelief at the government’s stance.

As the debate over the Illegal Migration Bill continues in Parliament, it remains to be seen whether the protests will have any effect on the government’s approach to the issue of asylum and migration. Opponents of the bill argue that the government’s focus on punitive measures is misplaced and that it fails to address the underlying causes of forced migration, such as conflict, poverty, and persecution.