Labour’s asylum changes are a ‘playbook of division’ says LGBTQ+ refugee charity

Rainbow migration criticizes government proposal (Canva)

LGBTQ+ refugee charities have condemned proposed changes to the UK’s asylum system, highlighting how such sweeping changes would disproportionately harm LGBTQ+ refugees seeking safety and protection.

British Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood told the BBC on Sunday night, November 16: A major transformation of the asylum system On Monday (November 17), he claimed that migrants were “tearing the country apart” and “putting a heavy burden on our communities”.

Her comments were widely criticized by human rights groups and some Labor MPs for fueling divisions over immigrant communities.

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama addressed the issue, accusing the interior minister of “ethnic stereotypes”. Comments she made in the Commons Approximately 700 Albanian families “failed to apply for asylum and are living in taxpayer-funded accommodation.”

“Official policy should never be driven by ethnic stereotypes.”

On X, formerly Twitter, Mr Rama questioned how Mr Mahmoud could single out 700 families who “so poorly reflect populist far-right rhetoric” and represent “statistically diminished in the ocean of post-Brexit Britain’s challenges”.

“Let me be clear: Albanians are a net contributor to the UK economy and the number of Albanians receiving UK benefits is very small compared to other communities,” Rama wrote in his critique.

“Singling them out over and over again is not a policy, it’s an annoying, vulgar act of demagoguery.

“Official policy should never be driven by ethnic stereotypes. That is the bare minimum that humanity expects from great Britain.”

The proposals include changes such that refugee status would be temporary and would be reviewed every 30 months and sent back to their home country if deemed “safe,” while some migrants would have to wait up to 20 years for their status to be established and the legal obligation to provide assistance to asylum seekers would end.

In a government press release announcing the changes, the Home Office said the changes would make the UK payments system “the most controlled and selective in Europe”.

In a statement to PinkNews, Minesh Parekh, Rainbow Migration’s policy and communications manager, called the changes “the latest attempt by the government to punish people who come here seeking safety and protection” and branded them “shameful.”

“Inclusive designations do not reflect the realities faced by LGBTQI+ people.”

“Making someone’s refugee status conditional on their country of origin being anything but safe can disproportionately harm LGBTQI+ people.

“Determining whether a country is safe is extremely complex, and too often blanket designations do not reflect the realities faced by LGBTQI+ people.

“Despite evidence of widespread human rights violations against LGBTQI+ people, governments now consider countries like India, Georgia, and Albania ‘safe’ to return people to. For example, we supported Noah, a gay man fleeing homophobic persecution in Georgia, who was physically attacked by his family and even underwent an exorcism in a church.”

Parekh added: “LGBTQI+ people also face significant barriers to accessing housing and financial support.

“Many are forced to share rooms and often face homophobic bullying, harassment and abuse from other residents and staff.

“Removing people from housing and financial support only pushes them into more dangerous situations and destitution.”

“Ministers have an opportunity to build a system rooted in justice and fairness to protect human rights and protect people from harm,” Parekh added. “To do that, they need to turn away from a strategy of division and move towards a politics of hope. They have to seize it.”