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The Green Party has welcomed a new report – ‘Immigration after Brexit: Where are we going?’ – from UK in a Changing Europe (UKICE), together with the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford, which highlights ‘sustained shift towards more positive attitudes towards migration’.
Co-leader Adrian Ramsay said: “More and more people are coming to understand the value of immigration to our cultural and economic life. As this report shows, Brexit and the pandemic highlighted just how vital immigration is to our country.
“Brexit closed down free movement of people and has created labour shortages in important sectors, while immigrants make up a significant proportion of the key workers – from supermarket shelf-packers, to care workers and health staff – who we all clapped for during the pandemic. The public increasingly recognises this.
“The Green Party is the only party that would renegotiate Freedom of Movement with the EU.”
The Party has also condemned the Tory government’s new small boats bill, announced last Tuesday.
Ramsay continued: “This is the latest attempt by the Tories to stop desperate people finding sanctuary. Last year three-quarters of all asylum claims were granted. Despite this, the government seems determined to clamp down on those fleeing conflict, persecution or extreme poverty in a host of countries by failing to offer legal routes to the UK. This will force people to continue taking their chances arriving in small boats.
“The UK government appears to be on a mission to push the boundaries of international law and breach the European Convention on Human Rights. This will further damage the UK’s already shattered global reputation.
“The Green Party is the only party taking a strong stand against this cruel legislation and saying proudly that refugees are welcome. We want to see safe legal routes for anyone wanting to claim asylum. That’s the way to stop small boats making perilous journeys across the channel and break the criminal gangs involved in people smuggling.”