Agenda item

Councillor Knewstub moved, and Councillor Mason seconded, the Majority Group Motion for Debate.

Councillor Conti moved and Councillor Gallant seconded an amendment to the motion.

Councillors Hashani, Manro, Mahfouz, Busuttil, Baaklini, J Anand, Alexander, Anderson, Raza, Steed, Brett, Young, Kamaljit Kaur Nagpal, Rice, Haili, Stafford and Knewstub responded to the motion.

Councillor Knewstub summed up the motion and Councillor Conti summed up the amendment.

A vote was taken and the amendment FELL.

Three members requested a recorded vote be held on the motion.

RESOLVED: That Ealing Council

a. notes that:

 (i) Ealing has a proud history of embracing individuals seeking safety within our Borough

 (ii) there are significant problems with the UK asylum system that affect people in Ealing, including a record backlog of cases awaiting a decision, a de facto ban on working, and enforced poverty and homelessness;

(iii) the Nationality and Borders Act does not address these issues, and has instead created a two-tier system, punishing people seeking safety based on the journeys they make;

(iv) under these laws, people seeking safety will be criminalised and threatened with removal to Rwanda;

(v) people will be warehoused in large accommodation centres, segregated from communities and denied support;

(vi) many recognised refugees will receive a temporary and precarious status;

(vii) over 400 charities and faith groups have signed a national pledge to ‘Fight the ‘Anti-Refugee Laws’

b. believes that:

(i) everyone’s claim for asylum should be treated equally and fairly;

(ii) these are fundamentally ‘anti-refugee’ laws that undermine internationally recognised rights for people fleeing war and persecution to seek safety;

(iii) these measures will create ever-longer delays in the asylum process, lead to greater poverty and homelessness in Ealing and will undermine people’s ability to rebuild their lives;

(iv) people seeking safety should be housed as our neighbours and as a part of our communities;

(v) the UK needs an asylum system that empowers people seeking safety to rebuild their lives and enables communities to welcome them;

This council resolves to:

(i)     defend the right to seek safety from war and persecution in the UK and sign the national ‘Fight the Anti-Refugee Laws’ pledge;

(ii)   call on the UK Government to withdraw the UK-Rwanda agreement, repeal the Nationality and Borders Act, and work with Local Authorities and communities to build a refugee protection system that treats all people with dignity and compassion;

(iii)  Support Refugee Action’s ‘lift the ban’ campaign

(iv)  work with local organisations and people with lived experience of the asylum system to identify ways to mitigate the effects of these measures in Ealing

(v)   Join the network of cities and towns which promote the inclusion and welfare of people who are fleeing violence and persecution and become a recognised Borough of Sanctuary

Voting:

For: Councillors

Shaw, Mason, J Anand, Mahfouz, Manro, Donnelly, Kamaljit Kaur Nagpal, Blacker, Brett, Knewstub, R Wall, Kingston, Haili, Kelly, D Martin, Padda, Rice, M Ahmed, Mahmood, Gordon, Khan, Kohli, Kim Nagpal, Driscoll, P Anand, Mohan, Dheer, Kaur Dheer, Jammu, Iqbal, Murtaza, J Martin, K Crawford, Dhindsa, Rai, Anderson, Hashani, L Wall, Summers, Alexander, Hamidi, Mohamed, Quansah, Sahota, D Crawford, Raza, Midha, Nijhar, Baaklini, Wesson, Tighe, Ball, Hersch, Zissimos, Malcolm, Steed, Busuttil, Tailor, Sharma.

Against: Councillors

Gallant, Kumar, Conti, Young, Stafford.

Abstentions: None