Labour, Lib Dem, Green and Independent MPs are among the signatories
21 MPs have called on the UK government to abandon changes to citizenship rules which would prohibit refugees who reach the UK by irregular means from ever getting British citizenship. They’ve signed an Early Day Motion (EDM) in the House of Commons which says the policy ‘further punishes’ refugees who came to the UK via these means due to a lack of safe alternative routes.
The EDM reads: “That this House expresses deep concern over the refusal of citizenship to refugees who have made irregular crossings to the UK; notes that this policy further punishes individuals whose claims of fleeing war, persecution, and danger have been upheld by the asylum system; further notes that, due to a lack of alternative safe routes, many people are forced to make unsafe crossings in order to claim asylum in the first place”.
It goes on to say that the MPs are concerned “that the refusal of citizenship denies these same individuals security and a safe, permanent home; and urges the Government to reconsider this policy.”
Government guidance on refugee citizenship now says: “Any person applying for citizenship from 10 February 2025, who previously entered the UK illegally will normally be refused, regardless of the time that has passed since the illegal entry took place.”
The Home Office has said on the changes to the citizenship guidance: “This guidance further strengthens measures to make it clear that anyone who enters the UK illegally, including small boat arrivals, faces having a British citizenship application refused.”
The EDM has received support from MPs from Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Greens, as well as some independents.
The full list of signatories to the EDM at the time of writing is follows:
- Diane Abbott (Labour)
- Sian Berry (Green)
- Olivia Blake (Labour)
- Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat)
- Richard Burgon (Labour)
- Ian Byrne (Labour)
- Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour)
- Tom Gordon (Liberal Democrat)
- Kim Johnson (Labour)
- Ian Lavery (Labour)
- Brian Leishman (Labour)
- Clive Lewis (Labour)
- Abtisam Mohamed (Labour)
- Andy McDonald (Labour)
- John McDonnell (Independent)
- Grahame Morris (Labour)
- Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour)
- Anna Sabine (Liberal Democrat)
- Adam Shockat (Independent)
- Zarah Sultana (Independent)
- Nadia Whittome (Labour)
Chris Jarvis is head of strategy and development at Left Foot Forward
Image credit: Simon Dawson / Number 10 – Creative Commons
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