PCS joins call for home secretary to end harmful immigration and asylum policies
PCS has joined calls for Shabana Mahmood to focus on bringing communities together and stop the “scapegoating of migrants” in an open letter to the home secretary signed by more than 100 organisations.
General secretary Fran Heathcote signed the letter, sent before the home secretary’s speech at Labour party conference in Liverpool this afternoon, on behalf of PCS which represents Border Force workers. It was coordinated by Refugee Action and signed by 105 organisations from a wide range of sectors – including Save the Children, Mind, Oxfam, Shelter, Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth, as well as dozens of migrant and anti-racism charities.
We backed calls for her to find solutions to problems with housing, the climate crisis and the NHS, and end the use of “performative policies” that cause harm.
“The government wants to deliver growth and renew Britain. This requires tackling issues such as growing extreme inequality, underfunded councils, lack of investment in quality housing, a crumbling NHS, the climate emergency and polluted waters,” the letter, published by the Guardian, says.
“Targeting refugees will do nothing to tackle these structural issues or improve people’s lives. It only serves as a dangerous smokescreen to scapegoat the most vulnerable and distract from the very real dangers to our society.”
We urge the home secretary to work with local authorities, charities and refugees, “who face the reality of the hostile policies and rhetoric”, to find solutions.
The letter warns: “Anger and division will never satisfy voters in the long term. They cause tensions in our communities, dividing us and tearing the social fabric of our society.
“As the new home secretary, you now have an opportunity to turn the tide, and to end the scapegoating of migrants and performative policies that only cause harm.
“The government runs the risk of this country accelerating along a dangerous path, and now is the time to urgently correct this and change course.”
PCS General Secretary Fran Heathcote said: “Trade unions win for working people when we unite the working class in all of its diversity. The far-right sow division that weakens all working class people. My union has a long history of standing up to racism and against hate.
“We call on the government to end the politics of division and work with us to build a prosperous society, When the politicians say stop the boats or smash the gangs we say open safe and secure routes for refugees. Labour must work to build unity, prosperity and social justice for all of us. Scapegoating migrants doesn’t bring better pay, it doesn’t bring down NHS waiting lists and it won’t give you a decent home to live in.”