Trafficking and smuggling are not the same thing, but hostile immigration measures do strengthen and increase the prevalence of both.

And where does that point lead? ‘We don’t know anyone’s true age.’ Okay? And? We do the best we can, and what the stats and experience show is that the Home Office gets it wrong more often than not. That is bad. Whether or not anyone else can know for 100% sure is an entirely separate point.

The difference is you’re talking about cases that make it as far as court. Dan is referencing a project from several years ago in which our organisation re-assessed children the Home Office had deemed to be adults, and we found all of them were in fact children. None of those cases went to court.

It’s okay to admit when you’re dumb about something. My husband spends a lot of time in the Netherlands for work and I only recently found out The Hague is the name of a city, not just the criminal court based in it. Not that I’m not thinking about that for any particular reason today…

Two migrants die during attempt to cross English Channel The deaths come a day after the government signed an extension with France over arrangements on reducing the number of English Channel crossings.

Yet more tragic, and avoidable, loss of life. Rather than wasting millions on inhumane anti-asylum measures and cutting actual safe routes, while misleading people with false claims of opening more, Labour could be genuinely making it safer and simpler to seek asylum.
news.sky.com/story/two-mi...

The so-called party of labour constantly spouting this classist drivel about ‘low skilled’ workers whenever the subject of migration comes up is incredibly telling. They lionise the ‘white working class’ but show their true colours whenever the workers happen to be from another country.

Radio 1’s Longest Ride with Greg James | Comic Relief This Red Nose Day, Radio 1 presenter Greg James takes on his most gruelling and absurd challenge yet: cycling 1000kms across the UK over 8 arduous days…on a tandem!

There are parasocial relationships with public figures, and then there’s how I feel about Greg James. It’s so out of left field for me but I would give my life for that man.

www.comicrelief.com/rednoseday/c...

Asylum appeal backlog doubles in a year, Home Office statistics show More than 80,000 people waiting to be reassessed after rejection at end of 2025 – 91% more than a year before

Well well well. If it isn’t the exact thing people like me have been saying for years would happen, happening. Rushing out poorly made asylum decisions in a stupid attempt to clear the initial decisions backlog simply moved the backlog to the tribunal.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

The home secretary talks about her reforms to the asylum system, including reprocessing applications every two and a half years, as a means to end "pull factors" for refugees. This shows a disturbing lack of awareness about the current system. The majority of those seeking asylum who we work with come to the UK because they have existing ties to this country. It is where they feel the safest in rebuilding their lives after fleeing war and persecution. Despite the home secretary's claims to the contrary, the Home Office has neither the ability nor the resources to implement this policy in a workable way. We already see initial applications taking more than a year. To increase the number that need to be reviewed is unfeasible and costly. Not only that, it would leave people seeking safety and security in limbo, at more risk of becoming undocumented and exploited. This is a policy that is not supported by evidence, and instead has been designed to grab headlines with no thought to the harm it causes those individuals who hoped that they may find some safety here, and the economic and social costs to all of us. Daniel Sohege Director, Stand For All

My response in the Guardian to the Home Secretary's changes to asylum rules, and the utterly false claim that Labour's hostile and Inhumane anti-asylum policies reduce "pull factors".

In this current harsh world, let's warm a few hearts remembering the events of 7-8 March 1991, when the 90,000 people of Brindisi woke up to find 25,000 Albanians roaming the streets of their town. For perspective, that's roughly equivalent to 25k people suddenly landing in Hastings [Thread] >> 1

This idea that refugee status should be temporary and only last as long as a country is deemed to be “unsafe” is utter nonsense. The trauma which causes people to flee lasts a lifetime and cannot simply be undone once a state is (for example) no longer at war.

My grandfather-in-law fled Nazi Germany with his parents in 1938 and settled in the US. He refused to set foot back in Germany for over 60 years, despite all the changes made in the interim. It didn’t matter that Germany became “safe.” He wanted nothing to do with the place.

Survivors of trafficking are regularly subjected to immigration detention and retraumatised.

Amid a legal aid crisis that's even worse in detention, they are trapped, with no way of getting desperately needed advice and support.

I am so very very tired of the lives of people seeking protection being treated as a political football, their treatment being decided by whatever the politicians think will most appeal to voters. It always results in cruelty, chaos, and doesn’t actually make anyone happy.

Asylum policy shouldn’t be about “appealing to people who feel that we’ve lost control.” It shouldn’t be about appealing to anyone. It should be about doing what is best and safest for the people who are here seeking protection.

Brilliant 😑

People waiting more than a year can already apply for permission to work which is restricted to the salary list, so are they announcing something that already exists as if it’s a new policy???

'Shabana Mahmood’s Asylum Plans Will Put Lives at Risk for No Purpose' The Government talks about wanting to reduce division and increase integration and then implements policies which will do the complete opposite, argues Daniel Sohege

🔴‘Shabana Mahmood’s Asylum Plans Will Put Lives at Risk for No Purpose’

The Government talks about wanting to reduce division and increase integration and then implements policies which will do the complete opposite, argues @danielsohege.bsky.social

bylinetimes.com/2026/03/03/s...

I actually don't have words as to how angry I am.

Wonder what happened in these countries that people on student visas in the UK found themselves needing to apply for asylum instead of going home post 2021.

UK Labour are heartless bastards & apparently have bo idea whats happening in the world.

But fundamentally Mahmood’s video is just a shocking way to speak about people. Abandoning refugees is bad! Reducing numbers is not a valid policy goal! (Until you’ve sorted out the causes of forced migration, which she seems to have no interest in.) People aren‘t a means to a party political end!

This must be very universal because my husband’s Jewish and they tell the same joke but with synagogues 😂

Refugee status to be temporary as Shabana Mahmood rips up rules on UK asylum Home secretary announces 30-month protection limit, with refugees required to leave if their home countries are later judged safe

🧵 Some points about migration, asylum and 'deterrence':

In order for a government to deter people seeking asylum, they must cross a 'line of cruelty'. I think that what most governments - and people - fail to realise - is how extremely cruel a government must be to actually drive people away.

1/15

Refugee status to be temporary as Shabana Mahmood rips up rules on UK asylum Home secretary announces 30-month protection limit, with refugees required to leave if their home countries are later judged safe

Today is a dark day for anyone who believes in sanctuary in the UK.

People who've fled war and torture should be able to rebuild their lives in peace and security - not live under a constant threat of removal.

We must not stop fighting these appalling anti-refugee laws.

Refugee status to be temporary as Shabana Mahmood rips up rules on UK asylum Home secretary announces 30-month protection limit, with refugees required to leave if their home countries are later judged safe

This stinks at every level. What refugees desperately need after their claims are accepted is the stability to rebuild their lives. This change will cause immeasurable stress and anxiety to some of the most vulnerable people in the country

Putting things like basic ethics aside...

... does anyone really believe that the Home Office, which cant deal with its present asylum responsibilities, is going to be able to review every application, every 30 months?

I have a bridge to sell you

Deaths of 22 children in Channel due to ‘catastrophic failure’ by UK and France, NGO says Project Play finds UK taxpayers are funding ‘record child fatalities’ and ‘repeated violence’ against children in northern France

Deaths in channel are preventable, but require governments to focus on ensuring people can seek asylum. It's repeatedly shown that hostile measures increase death tolls. Labour's decision to halt family reunification alone is already putting more children at risk.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

@greenpartyhan.bsky.social

In my entire adult life, I’ve never once woken up after a vote to hear that the thing I wanted to win had won. It’s nice! I’d like it to happen more often please 💚

But it should now be clear that we can have a progressive conversation on migration if people are BRAVE. So if you’ve ever wondered before if it was time to step in - it is. We must not lose momentum, things do not have to be this way. By the next election, everything could be different.

Today’s win in Gorton and Denton shows such an utter rejection of that idea. But we still have a long way to go. The language and hate for migrant communities has been set and will continue. Charities are still under-resourced and under physical/political attack.