Church Address:
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- Empowered to Succeed or Set up to Fail? May 14, 2022 3:01 pm
Unprecedented. The last two years have certainly been unprecedented for us all and the rippling effects of the covid pandemic, coupled with the impact of Brexit, are resulting in fresh economic challenges for many of us. With rising inflation, interest rates and energy prices, households are facing a rapidly increasing cost of living. At the time of writing the news is full of families who are struggling to cope. There is increasing pressure for the government to do more to help households face this rising cost in living.Any support for those who are struggling is welcome and needed but the plight of those on the lowest incomes is not a new phenomenon. Whilst there are a number of different ways of measuring poverty, before the covid-19 pandemic the government’s figures showed that a massive 8.4 million working age adults and 4.2 million children in the UK were living in relative poverty or almost 1 in 4 and 1 in 3 UK children.[1] A 2020 report from the UK government stated that ‘the link between childhood and adult poverty appears to be strengthening over time…this is deeply concerning for the opportunities of the current generation of children to be socially mobile, when nearly one in three live in relative poverty’.[2] Successive governments have taken different approaches to the longstanding issue of poverty but the issue only seems to be growing with the challenges of the pandemic only making the situation worse. In the year 2020/2021 Trussell Trust, which operates over half of the foodbanks in the UK, distributed a record 2.5million food parcels.[3] So why are so many people struggling to afford to live? Social Security: Are recipients set up to fail? You would be forgiven for thinking that the UK’s benefit system is a ‘safety net’ that ensures that no-one throughout the UK goes hungry and has enough income for basic living expenses, especially those who are out of work. However, benefits are not a barrier to people experiencing poverty. The UK benefit system is currently split between those on old style ‘legacy’ benefits (2.4million people in Dec 21) and those who have been transferred to the new Universal Credit System (5.6 million people in Dec 21).[4] The system is designed to encourage people into work using reducing benefits as an incentive. Despite multiple Government attempts to find it, there is no serious evidence this approach gets more people into work. But even for those who do get employment, work often does not offer a route out of poverty. In fact, the majority of people who live in poverty do work,[5] and 75% of children growing up in poverty live in a household where at least one person works.[6] Additionally, there are those who are in poverty but who are unable to work: more than half of the 14 million people in poverty are disabled or live with someone who is.[7] Data from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) shows that in 2019/20, 54% of those on Universal Credit, 19% on Disability Benefits and 30% on Carer’s Allowance were in relative poverty after housing costs.[8] Renée works as a mental health support worker in the NHS. Her hourly rate is just above the minimum wage and, although she takes as much overtime and night shift work as she can to increase her earnings, the family still struggle to get by. With her youngest daughter three years old and her youngest son eight, Renée’s long working hours mean that she has very high childcare costs. Renée spends £115.80 a week to keep her three-year-old daughter, Zennisha, in nursery. She also pays £32.50 a week in after-school care for her 8-year-old son, Tyrone. Renée’s 80-year-old mother, Edith, has poor eyesight and trouble walking long distances, so she now lives with her daughter. Edith helps as much as she can with the childcare, and without her help Renée would struggle even more. The family live in a three-bedroom council flat on a Hackney estate. There is severe damp in the flat and one of the bedrooms in uninhabitable. The family is forced to share not just bedrooms but also beds. Edith shares a bed with her grandson, Tyrone, and Renée and her two daughters share a bed. The family can’t afford to move into better housing and the council have told them they are adequately housed.[9] A bright future? In the last few years, Universal Credit has been rolled out and sought to consolidate the different benefits paid to recipients and simplify the system. This is a worthy goal as it has the potential to reduce the cost of administrating the social security system. The government stated that ‘We have ensured that no-one will experience a reduction in the benefit they receive as a result of the introduction of Universal Credit.’[10] However, this was only achieved through ’Transitional protection‘ payments that were short term and only continued until any element of someone’s case changed. These changes could include moving house, changing their bank account or getting a job. In reality, it means that Universal Credit often results in a reduction in the benefits Despite the cost of living crisis DWP moved to the next stage of moving the most vulnerable claimants onto the new benefit this month[11]. This is a further reduction to benefits as they were frozen between 2015 and 2020. This freeze affected more than 27 million people and swept 400,000 into poverty.[12] How Are Benefits Calculated? If benefits are intended to protect those experiencing financial hardship, then there is clearly something going wrong. Why are so many people who are eligible for benefits including due to disability, unemployment and low wages struggling to make ends meet? Recent research from the Food Foundation found that 47.7% of Universal Credit claimants have experienced food insecurity in the past six months.[13] The government has released no data to show how they have chosen the figures that different groups receive e.g. single parents or couples with no children. The Joint Public Issues Team (JPIT) has previously […]
- The Hope Won’t Kill You May 12, 2022 9:14 am
Since the age of nine I have been a faithful and long-suffering supporter of Tottenham Hotspur. In the following decade-and-a-bit, I have never seen them win anything. I have shed more tears over football results than anything else in that period. I have watched Tottenham come second in the league twice, lose two cup finals and falter in eight semi-finals. The zenith of their near-misses came in the bright May of 2019. Tottenham had bitten and clawed their way to the final of the Champions League (a miracle in itself). Tragically, and ever-so inevitably, they conceded an avoidable penalty in the first minute of the match, which was duly scored. As Mohammed Salah wheeled away in celebration, I sucked despondently on my water bottle and sighed. Perhaps a tear welled in my eye. A firm, wrinkled, hand landed on my shoulder; it belonged to man I had never met before. “It’s the hope that kills you” he offered.Pope John Paul II is often quoted as saying “of all the unimportant things, football is the most important”. It may not surprise you, but I am inclined to agree. Football, for me, is the world in microcosm. It reflects narratives that are right at the heart of the human enterprise. Striving, personal identity, heartbreak and yes, hope in the face of adversity. These emotions, that are spilled out over the course of ninety minutes, are the same emotions that stir us to want to change the world. This is not all to say that I see football as some kind of great medicine to cure the planet’s ills, in fact I think I am definitely not saying that. Rather, it holds up a mirror and teaches us something about ourselves. There are hundreds of genuinely important things that deserve our attention, our heartbreak and our hope. There have been plenty of crushing moments in our national and international politics in recent weeks and months. To list them all could be something of an infinite exercise in self-torture, but it is right to acknowledge some of those that have shaken me personally. The passing of the Nationality and Borders Bill into law which will see the isolation and alienation of desperate people fleeing war. The accompanying scheme to send asylum seekers to Rwanda thus abandoning our moral duties as a country. In my work for an MP, I hear stories from constituents who limit their use of the kettle to once per day because they simply cannot afford the soaring cost of electricity. Both of these areas demonstrate devastating injustices which are affecting our communities right now. But they are also both areas in which JPIT have fundamental hope. Our Six Hopes include the hope of a society that welcomes the stranger, and for a just economy. For JPIT, our hope that we could see a system where these brutalities did not occur is our reason for being. And yet, in the face of repeated failure and slow progress, I am reminded of an Edna St. Vincent Millay poem. “That chill is in the air”, she writes, “Which the wise know well, and even have learned to bear. This joy, I know, Will soon be under snow.” These hopes, it is easy to feel, are under snow. To keep hoping in this blizzard of outrage can feel flimsy and naïve. What then are we to do? Accept the advice of the wrinkly man at the pub, that the hope will only kill us in the end? And then what? Stop hoping all together because we are met with cruelty and disappointment? What alternative does this leave us with? Detachment? Or Despair? Both of these approaches fail. “Sincerity” in the words of the band The 1975, “is scary”. It is frightening to face up to the challenges of the world, but that not does make detachment or aloofness a viable solution. Ultimately, now that we are on this planet, putting our fingers in our ears will do nothing to resolve the pain around us. Equally, despair is not a practical option. Despair consumes us like a multiplying virus. It pours black paint on our ideals and renders us inert and apathetic. Apathy will not stop the planet’s temperature from rising to catastrophic levels. Stupor will not feed the hungry. Hope, and the action that follows, just might. The full tapestry of living life in a flawed world will mean that you will, at times, experience all of these emotions. In life, like football, you will feel the agony of an irretrievable deficit and the ambivalence of a small win when the season is already lost. I am not saying there is never a place for detachment or despair. Quite the opposite, I recognise that they are natural and healthy reactions to a disorientating and difficult existence. What is deadly though, is allowing ourselves to dwell solely here. Our conference this year at JPIT is all about refusing to linger in what John Bunyan refers to as the Slough of Despond. Rather, we will be making the case for getting down on your hands and knees, and scrambling around in the mud to unearth hope. It is only by choosing to keep on hoping that good will be done. To continue to believe that small efforts at a local level play an invaluable part, building a more loving culture. I will tune in to watch Tottenham next week because I continue to hope, maybe against hope, that I may one day see them lift a trophy. I will continue to campaign for a more welcoming society and a more just economy, because I hope our future can be more merciful than our past. So no, dear old man in the pub, it is not the hope that kills you, hope is what makes life worth living. We would love you to join us for our From the Ground Up Conference: Saturday 11th June 2022, 10am-4pm – online and on-site at Oasis Hub Waterloo, London £5 Online – £12 […]
- Net Zero From the Ground Up: the case for councils May 9, 2022 10:41 am
We’re launching a new campaign, ‘Net Zero In My Neighbourhood’. This blog explores why we’re focusing on local councils for climate action, and how you can get involved.I’d like to use my car less but public transport is unreliable. I’d like to recycle more but recycling bins are only collected fortnightly. I’d like to be more energy efficient but the costs of insulating and heating my home properly are too high. If you’ve ever had thoughts like these, you’ll know that it can be difficult to live a more planet-friendly lifestyle when your local infrastructure doesn’t offer the support you need. National leaders can sign treaties and individuals can commit to make changes, but without the crucial middle layer of public services, we can struggle to connect our personal willingness to act with change on a global scale. The attention given to COP26 rightly showed the importance of international cooperation, and agreements made at that level are essential for coordinating global action. Many felt disappointed by the outcomes of talks in Glasgow, but it has helped to place climate at the top of the political agenda. If you felt disempowered and unrepresented by world leaders at COP26, you can have a real impact by engaging with your local councils. Local politics may not seem as glitzy or important as global conferences, but they have a series of responsibilities that can take the area you live in a long way towards a net zero future. The recent election of new councillors presents an opportunity for you and your church to reach out and build a relationship to work together on climate and other issues – and councils are increasingly looking to churches for community support. The case for councils So why do local councils matter for net zero? Research from the Local Government Association (LGA) suggests that local authorities have influence over roughly a third of emissions in their local areas. This is mainly due to their responsibilities in four key areas: Transport. Councils oversee local transport plans and can prioritise decarbonisation efforts. They also play a key role in supporting the transition to electric vehicle use, and developing walking and cycling infrastructure. Nottingham city council, for example, has installed more than 130 public electric vehicle charging points, and has one of the UK’s largest fleets of electric buses. Buildings. Councils play a key role in ensuring new buildings are energy efficient and old buildings can be retrofitted with better insulation and heating systems. This applies both to council-owned buildings (including council buildings, social housing, commercial units, schools, leisure centres etc.) and privately-owned buildings. They oversee planning and regulation (although they are constrained by standards set by national government) and can map the housing stock of the area. Somerset West and Taunton district council has pledged to manage its buildings and land in a biodiversity-friendly manner and is building zero-carbon council houses, as well as retrofitting existing homes across the district. Energy. Every council can encourage the development of clean energy infrastructure. They can bring relevant local partners together to develop the future of local energy, influence clean energy infrastructure implementation with planning policy, and offer support for local people and community energy organisations to undertake energy projects. Telford and Wrekin council has built a publicly-owned solar farm, which has saved more than 13,000 tonnes of CO2 and generated £1.3m for the council. Waste. Councils are responsible for the collection and disposal of household and commercial waste. They can take steps to increase recycling, implement food and garden waste collections, and improve communications about appropriate waste disposal. Stroud district council has created a local waste-management company in partnership with neighbouring authorities, and now sends the least waste per capita to landfill. Councils are well-placed to deliver on net zero as they are the master planners of places, convenors of civil society and business, and have detailed knowledge of place and people. With their understanding of the specific needs of their locality, they can ensure the transition to net zero is just and appropriate to place. Yet they are also limited in what they can achieve by the responsibilities and resources devolved to them by central government. The LGA has asked to work in closer partnership with government, calling for longer-term funding and unambiguous policy positions that allow councils to plan strategically over a number of years. As David Renard, leader of Swindon council put it, ‘net zero can only be achieved if councils are empowered’. 85% of local authorities in the UK have set a target year for reaching net zero emissions. The vast majority of these come well in advance of the national government’s own target of 2050. 88% have published climate action plans, outlining how they plan to reach net zero. For residents, the task is now to scrutinise the quality of these plans, ask for improvements, and hold councils accountable to implementing them. You can see how your council compares to others and identify what they can improve here, and see an example of a good template plan here. The role of churches Having made their plans, councils need to listen deeply to the needs of their communities in order to succeed. Churches can play a key role in facilitating this. They too have a deep understanding of their area, and often have relationships with those who are marginalised through support services like foodbanks and homeless shelters. Justice for people and planet is central to our theology. Christians can play a key role in bringing their own knowledge of the community together with this concern for justice to ensure that councils’ plans for transition are just, fair and sufficient. As the cost-of-living crisis bites, Christians should campaign for a renewable energy future that is affordable and sustainable, rather than abandon the net zero agenda and re-embrace fossil fuels. All of creation, human and otherwise, deserves a more thoughtful response than closing our eyes and ignoring the challenge that we know we must face. Take Action: Net Zero In My Neighbourhood […]
- Nationality and Borders Act 2022 April 28, 2022 3:03 pm
A statement on behalf of the Methodist Church in Britain, Baptists Together and the United Reformed ChurchWe lament the passing of the Nationality and Borders Bill into law. Compelled by the Biblical call to welcome the stranger, our denominations were outspoken in our criticism of the Bill, arguing that it would unjustly remove the rights and threaten the dignity of people who are in need of our nation’s care and protection. Over the last year, members of our churches have come together with a wide range of people to raise concerns about the government’s proposals, and to stand alongside refugees. Many have also signed up to host refugees from Ukraine, and continue to be involved in welcoming people seeking sanctuary in their own communities. This legislation will not diminish that spirit of compassion, hospitality and solidarity. We know that through such encounters we will learn more about ourselves, each other, and God. Alongside the practical work of welcome, our Churches will not stop advocating for love to be shown to our neighbours through the policies and practices of our asylum system. We will continue to push the government to open up more safe and legal routes for people who are in need of the sanctuary we can offer here in the UK. Our denominations have also joined hundreds of other organisations and charities in pledging to work towards the repeal of the UK’s ‘anti-refugee’ laws. We remain committed to working with others towards a refugee protection system that treats all people with dignity and compassion. You can read the Pledge here. <!– –> Source
- Senior Church leaders write to Peers ahead of House of Lords vote on Nationality & Borders Bill April 25, 2022 11:04 am
As the Nationality and Borders Bill returns to the House of Lords this week, several senior Church leaders have written to peers to encourage them to stand up for changes to the Bill.On Tuesday 26th April, Peers are due to debate the Bill once again, during the ‘ping-pong’ stage of the Bill, where it is passed between the House of Lords and the House of Commons. During the passage of the Bill, the House of Lords have repeatedly introduced amendments which seek to alter the Bill’s hostile approach towards asylum seekers and refugees. Despite consistent support for the Bill in the House of Commons, they have continued in their approach to attempt to change the Bill. Last week, Church leaders wrote to MPs ahead of their vote on the Bill. You can read this here. You can read the full letter from Church leaders to Peers below. *************************************************************************** We are writing as a group of Christian leaders, from denominations and traditions across the UK, ahead of the debate on the Nationality and Borders Bill in the House of Lords this week. We want to take this last opportunity to make it clear where we stand on the Bill, and to urge you to support the continued inclusion of amendments previously made to the Bill in the House of Lords. Peers have consistently supported changes to the Bill to bring it in line with international convention, and demonstrate compassion and care for our common humanity. Being resolute about these safeguards is rightly the role of a revising chamber. Faith groups have been outspoken on our concerns about the Bill. In February, over 1000 faith leaders from communities across the UK joined us to express how horrified and appalled we were about its potential repercussions. We have made it clear how we feel the Bill fails to uphold the principles and values of the UK by creating hostility and fostering discrimination against some of the most vulnerable people in the world. We hope that our vocal concern might encourage you to continue to seek changes even at this very late stage. Only in the last few weeks we have witnessed the seemingly limitless compassion and commitment shown by UK citizens as they have welcomed Ukrainian refugees into their lives and homes. Yet the Nationality and Borders Bill directly contradicts this generosity of spirit. We find it challenging to understand how the policies within the Bill will work in practice, except that they will cause hardship, criminalise innocent people and fracture families. The government’s recently announced plan to export some asylum seekers to Rwanda only compounds our sense of concern, representing an abandonment of the UK’s responsibilities and a denial of the rights and dignity of refugees. In particular, we support amendments to the Bill made to expand and protect family reunion rights, to enable asylum seekers to work after waiting six months for their application outcome, to establish a target for resettlement and to amend the two-tier system proposed for asylum seekers. Each of these amendments recognises that the trauma and need of a person seeking asylum should be prioritised, and that we should do all we can to offer opportunities for people and families to restore their lives in a place of safety. In supporting these amendments, we urge you not to vote against the lives of vulnerable children, men, women and families who are in desperate need of our support. In this Easter season, as Christians we celebrate new life and new hope. Our faith tells us that our God-given hope in new life should influence the way we treat our neighbour, wherever they come from. As the Nationality and Borders Bill comes before you once again this week, we ask you to consider how your vote demonstrates how you care for those most vulnerable in our world. Recently, Church leaders have been criticised for joining the debate about asylum and immigration plans. But in the face of unfair and cruel proposals, to fail to speak out would be a denial of our gospel calling. The Biblical mandate is that righteous nations ‘welcome the stranger’. So, regardless of the outcome of this week’s votes, we will not stop advocating for love to be shown to our neighbour through the policies and practices in our asylum system. Churches across the UK will continue to come alongside those who remain in desperate need of our friendship and welcome. We wish to encourage you in your role, and hold you in our prayers during this time. With regards, Bishop John Arnold, Roman Catholic Bishop of Salford Dr Patrick Coyle, Chair, Cytûn – Churches Together in Wales Revd Clare Downing, General Assembly Moderator of the United Reformed Church Barbara Easton, Vice-President of the Conference of the Methodist Church in Great Britain Revd Lynn Green, General Secretary, The Baptist Union of Great Britain Revd Sonia Hicks, President of the Conference of the Methodist Church in Great Britain The Most Revd Andrew John, Archbishop of Wales and Bishop of Bangor Paul Parker, Recording Clerk, Quakers in Britain Bishop Mike Royal, General Secretary of Churches Together in England Most Rev Mark Strange, Bishop of Moray, Ross and Caithness, and Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church <!– –> Source
- Senior Church leaders write to MPs ahead of vote on the Nationality & Borders Bill April 18, 2022 11:05 pm
Senior Church leaders have written to all MPs ahead of Wednesday’s vote on the Nationality and Borders Bill, urging them to use their influence to make changes to the Bill. The Nationality and Borders Bill is due to come before MPs on Wednesday 20th April, to allow them to vote on amendments proposed by the House of Lords. The Bill is in its final stages and continues to be backed by the government, despite having suffered multiple defeats in the House of Lords. The Church leaders who have signed the letter represent a range of denominations and traditions in the UK, many of whom have been outspoken about the Bill over the past year. The letter has been sent to every MP currently elected to the House of Commons. You can read the full text of the letter below. ***** We are writing as a group of Christian leaders, from denominations and traditions across the UK, ahead of the vote on the Nationality and Borders Bill in the House of Commons this week. We want to take this last opportunity to make it clear where we stand on the Nationality and Borders Bill. We urge you to use your influence to encourage concessions to the Bill ahead of the vote, and to support the changes made to the Bill in the House of Lords. Faith groups have been outspoken on our concerns about the Bill since the start of the process. We have made it clear how we feel the Bill fails to uphold the principles and values of the UK by creating hostility and fostering discrimination against some of the most vulnerable people in the world. Only in the last few weeks we have witnessed the seemingly limitless compassion and commitment shown by UK citizens as they have welcomed Ukrainian refugees into their lives and homes. Yet the Nationality and Borders Bill directly contradicts this approach. We find it challenging to understand how the policies within the Bill will work in practice, except that they will cause hardship, criminalise innocent people and fracture families. The amendments made in the House of Lords will improve the Bill as they seek to bring it in line with international convention, compassion and care for our common humanity. In particular, we support amendments made to expand and protect family reunion rights, to enable asylum seekers to work after waiting six months for their application outcome, to establish a target for resettlement and to amend the two-tier system proposed for asylum seekers. Each of these amendments recognises that the trauma and need of a person seeking asylum should be prioritised, and that we should do all we can to offer opportunities for people and families to restore their lives in a place of safety. In supporting these amendments, we urge you not to vote against the lives of vulnerable children, men, women and families who are in desperate need of our support. At this time of Easter, as Christians we celebrate new life and new hope. Our faith tells us that our God-given hope in new life should influence the way we treat our neighbour, wherever they come from. As the Nationality and Borders Bill comes before you this week, we ask you to consider how your vote demonstrates how you care for those most vulnerable in our world. Regardless of the outcome of this week’s vote, we will not stop advocating for love to be shown to our neighbour through the policies and practices in our asylum system. Churches across the UK will continue to come alongside those who remain in desperate need of our friendship and welcome. We wish to encourage you in your role, and hold you in our prayers during this time. With Regards, Bishop John Arnold, Roman Catholic Bishop of Salford Nicola Brady, General Secretary, Churches Together in Britain and Ireland Dr Patrick Coyle, Chair, Cytûn – Churches Together in Wales Revd Clare Downing, General Assembly Moderator of the United Reformed Church Barbara Easton, Vice-President of the Conference of the Methodist Church in Great Britain Rt Revd Olivia Graham, Bishop of Reading Revd Lynn Green, General Secretary, The Baptist Union of Great Britain Rev Ruth Harvey, Leader, the Iona Community Revd Sonia Hicks, President of the Conference of the Methodist Church in Great Britain The Bishop of Dover, The Rt Revd Rose Hudson-Wilkin The Most Revd Andrew John, Archbishop of Wales and Bishop of Bangor Paul Parker, Recording Clerk, Quakers in Britain The Rt Revd Dr John Perumbalath, Bishop of Bradwell, Chair of Churches Refugee Network UK & Ireland Bishop Mike Royal, General Secretary of Churches Together in England Lord Bishop of St Albans, Dr Alan Smith Most Rev Mark Strange, Bishop of Moray, Ross and Caithness, and Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church Lord Wallace of Tankerness, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland <!– –> Source
- Nationality and Borders Bill – What’s next? April 13, 2022 11:29 am
In February, 1000+ faith leaders wrote to the Prime Minister raising their concerns about the Nationality and Borders Bill, urging him to make changes even at this late stage. At the beginning of April, we received a reply to the letter from Tom Pursglove MP, Minister for Justice and Tackling Illegal Migration. You can read the full reply here.The letter was not substantially different from the statements and responses the Home Office have made regarding the Bill over recent months. It reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting the Bill, and to pushing through the changes to the asylum system it creates. It repeated claims about the effectiveness of measures in the Bill, despite widespread claims to the contrary. On Wednesday 20th April, the Bill returns to the House of Commons as MPs are given the chance to vote on amendments made by the House of Lords once again. Ahead of this vote, we wanted to respond to some of the claims made in the Home Office’s response to the letter, and suggest what you could do next. Home Office Reply The Home Office Reply responds to a number of the points raised in the letter from faith leaders, which in itself is helpful. However, a number of them do little to directly address the concerns raised. In the letter, the Home Office say ‘We want to welcome the brightest and the best through a points-based system, crack down on evil people smugglers who have no regard for life and help – through safe and legal routes – those genuinely fleeing in fear of their lives’. This echoes an argument made by the Home Office consistently over past few years, suggesting that those crossing the channel are not ‘genuine’ asylum seekers.[1] Yet of those who arrive in the UK via small boat channel crossing, the majority have their claim for asylum accepted.[2] The majority of people who arrive in the UK to claim asylum via small boat come from just 10 countries of original, many of which have extremely limited alternative safe routes. Iranians are the top nationality for people crossing the channel, and yet only one person from Iran was resettled in the UK via direct route between January 2020 and May 2021. The UK did not resettle a single person from Kuwait, Yemen or Vietnam in this time, despite all being in the top nationalities that cross the Channel. [3] In the letter, the Home Office state ‘there are numerous ways to arrive in the UK via regular means.’ Whilst this might be true for the small number of countries currently with direct resettlement schemes (such as Ukraine and Afghanistan), it is clear that these routes do not meet the need being presented, limiting the vast majority of people in desperate need of asylum to struggle and take desperate measures to reach safety. The Home Office also claim in the letter that ‘making unnecessary, illegal and desperately unsafe journeys is not the way to come to our country’. They frequently use the term ‘illegal’ to describe the irregular routes people use to travel to the UK to claim asylum, despite the fact that fact-checkers have frequently dismissed this claim as misleading. Under international law, anyone has the right to apply for asylum in any country that has signed the 1951 Convention and remain there until the authorities have assessed their claim. The convention also recognises that people fleeing persecution may have to use irregular means to escape, and that this should be recognised. Yet the Nationality and Borders Bill establishes grounds to criminalise people who come via irregular routes, completely disregarding these criteria. As outlined above, for the vast majority of people who come via small channel crossings there is little to no other choice, with limited alternative schemes available. The Bill makes no provision for new schemes, and the government have consistently refused to even set a target for resettlement, implying that capacity can be determined on a whim (the uncapped scheme for Ukrainian refugees recently showing that in times of need, capacity can be found). Instead relying of forward planning and well-grounded judgement, the Bill squeezes people into impossible circumstances and punishes them for it. Desperately unsafe journeys may not be the preferred way to come to the UK for anyone (The Guardian recently reported that two-thirds of people who have made small boat channel crossings have hypothermia or injuries) but for many it is the only way. The letter states that ‘the creation of Group 1 and Group 2 refugees will not change our fundamental approach in respect of deciding asylum applications on the individual merits of the case’. This references the provision in the Bill to differentiate between refugees depending on how they arrived in the UK, and treat them differently if they arrived via direct resettlement or another route. Under these rules, Group 2 refugees would be criminalised, denied recourse to public funds and only granted limited leave to remain. Despite their claim that this will not change their approach to applications, the Bill’s provision to automatically criminalise anyone in Group 2 means that refugees in this group have already been found at fault before the merits of their case are even heard, beginning the process with uneven and unjust standards. It is hard to comprehend how this can be seen as consistent with a fair approach. The letter draws attention to the Afghan Citizens’ Resettlement Scheme (ARCS) as an example of the government rising to high standards on resettlement. Yet despite claims of continuing resettlement, thousands of Afghan refugees continue to find themselves in temporary hotel accommodation and without basic support. They claim that the ‘ACRS is a clear demonstration of the Government’s New Plan For Immigration in action’. If this is a measure of the standards of support on offer, then its challenging to see the Bill as anything other than living up to incredibly low, uncompassionate standards. However, the Home Office also refers to the schemes created to resettle Ukrainian […]
- Forced Labour in Fashion: Who Makes Our Clothes? March 30, 2022 10:57 am
Who makes our clothes? This is the question that we have been asking high street fashion brands as part of our Forced Labour in Fashion campaign.Over the last few years more information has emerged about the treatment of those from the Uyghur minority population in China. There has been increasing evidence of people from this group being collected in fortress style ‘re-education centres’. At least one million Uyghurs have been transferred to such centres in an effort to ‘educate’ them away from their cultural and religious practices that are separate from those of the majority ‘Han’ ethnicity in China. As part of that campaign Uyghurs are then transferred to working on cotton farms or factories under police or military control in their home region of Xinjiang and across China. China produces 20-25% of the world’s cotton so it’s likely that you own many items of clothing produced in China or made of Chinese cotton. How would you know if the people who worked in their production were not free? It’s shocking to think that as consumers we could be paying lower prices precisely because Uyghur workers are being exploited. That is why JPIT and a collection of our supporters wrote to high street brands whose factories in China have been reported to have received transported Uyghur workers. We had some encouraging responses and some that showed there is clearly more work that the company needs to do. The brands that have made positive progress are: Victoria’s Secret ASOS North Face The brands that have a long way to go are: We have written back to these brands with our concerns. Please take a minute to click one of the links above to send your own letter to a company with the updated letter. Read the full blog and our analysis of the different brand responses here. <!– –> Source
- Nationality and Borders Bill: Update from the House of Commons March 25, 2022 8:26 am
On Tuesday 22nd March, the Nationality and Borders Bill returned to the House of Commons. MPs were given the chance to vote on the amendments made to the bill in the House of Lords, where it was met with strong resistance.Unfortunately, despite rumours of rebellions on the Conservative benches, the favour was on the government’s side when it came down to a vote. MPs overturned amendments tabled seeking to oblige compliance with the 1951 Refugee Convention, the right for asylum seekers to work and access to offshoring asylum accommodation and processing of applications. The past few weeks have highlighted the contradiction in the government’s approach to offering sanctuary. The Homes for Ukraine scheme has had thousands of applications since its launch, and the government have turned around quickly to provide the financial and practical resources to make it happen. Whilst it isn’t without flaws, it does demonstrate that when the willingness is there, resource can be found from the very top of government to make urgent and necessary changes to legislation. And yet, as pointed out by Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, MPs voted on Tuesday to criminalise Ukrainian asylum seekers who arrive in the UK without the correct paperwork. Under the Bill, this approach would apply to any refugee who arrived in the UK via a government declared ‘irregular route’, whose claim would then become automatically unfounded. In a week where small boat channel crossings have again been rising, it’s understandable that this dangerous route should be addressed. However, as pointed out by Conservative MP Damian Green, over 87% of passengers on small boats come from four countries: Iran, Iraq, Syria and Yemen. Currently, people from these countries do not have access to any safe routes by which to claim asylum in the UK. A furious Tim Farron, Liberal Democrat MP, outlined that “people are not coming because of the pull factor; but because of the push factor, because of the outrages they experience, that people here have no concept of, no experience themselves”. This bill attempts to strengthen the resistance of border controls into the UK, whilst failing to create any new safe routes by which people can access sanctuary. This traps some of the most vulnerable people in our global community in a limbo which can only lead to harm, and does nothing to address the challenges the government say they are seeking to respond to. MPs even turned down the opportunity to address this contradiction, voting against a Conservative MP fronted amendment to set a 10,000-person resettlement target per year. Instead, the bill was returned to the Lords without any attempts to address the severe lack of proposed new safe routes in the bill, whilst heavily leaning on their place in the wider system. Two areas which have long been of concern to JPIT’s Churches are the right of asylum seekers to work whilst they await their application outcome, and safe routes for family reunion. Amendments to both of these effects were also rejected in the House of Commons, however there still remains some scope for change in these areas. Public polling from Refugee Action shows that 81% of the public support the right to work. Politicians from across the spectrum showed their support, and a number of Conservative MPs abstained on the vote in order for the government to create space for further conversation. The Home Office have agreed to meet with Conservative supporters of the amendment, raising hopes that some compromise might be reached before the House of Lords return amendments back to the Commons once again. Lord Alf Dubs’ amendment to the bill proposing safe routes for family reunion in the UK was also defeated. However, there may still be scope for adaptation which sees concessions made for unaccompanied asylum seeking children, a group who have borne the harsh end of the bill’s policies. Our friends at Safe Passage have been working hard on this, and are not ready to give up the fight yet. The legislation in the Nationality and Borders Bill has been dragging through parliament for almost a year. At every stage, the lazy, hostile and discriminatory nature of this bill has been emphasised by people from across civil society, faith groups and politics. We are proud that church members across the UK have been speaking up loudly in opposition to the bill, advocating instead for a more welcoming approach towards people seeking asylum. When 1000+ faith leaders wrote to the Prime Minister in February, calling on him not to ‘close the door’ on people fleeing conflict and persecution, we knew we had to stand clearly on the right side of this debate. In a recent statement in response to the Homes for Ukraine Scheme, the President and Vice-President of the Methodist Conference said: “As Christians, we are called to welcome the stranger, and to recognise God amongst them. We cannot abide any kind of discrimination which seeks to ignore or mar the image of God that all people bear. This Bill which judges a person’s legitimate claim to sanctuary based on how they arrive in the UK should not be tolerated.” We cannot tolerate the changes this Bill proposes, and we must continue to do all we can do show strong support for alternatives. The journey is not over – and there’s still the chance for you to make your thoughts clear to your MP. The Bill now passes back to the House of Lords, before it will return to MPs, in a process casually known as ‘ping-pong’. Why not take the opportunity now to write to your MP, and ask that when the bill returns to the commons they vote in favour of compassion and welcome? Find our template letter here. <!– –> Source
- The Spring Statement number you need to know: 600,000 more people pulled into poverty. March 24, 2022 1:50 pm
The most important number from the entire spring statement was not from the Chancellor but from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. They estimated that over the next year, 600,000 people will be pulled into poverty[1]. The 14.6 million people already experiencing poverty will of course be pulled further down. It appears inevitable that the number experiencing destitution will rise from the already scandalous 2.5million that we have now. “The rise in inflation to a 40-year high this year is expected to [result in] the biggest fall in living standards in any single financial year since ONS records began in 1956-57” – Office of Budget Responsibility. A drop in living standards means very different things to different people. It can mean that instead of a new BMW you can only afford a new Volkswagen, or it can mean that instead of using a foodbank to tide you through the last couple of days of the month you need to use a foodbank as often as you are able but are still regularly forced to skip meals[2]. It maybe you wish no-one to see a drop in living standards, but you would expect a Chancellor faced with the largest falls in the standard of living in 60 years to target support at the families whose choices are bleakest, who face poverty and destitution rather than those families with more money and more options. You might expect that, but it is not what has happened. Focusing support on the top half of earners 2/3rds of the £18Bn in household income support measures announced in the Spring Statement will go to families in the top half of the income distribution. This is not even spreading the money equally – a crude idea of justice that ignores human needs – it is worse. The choice was to focus new money on the better off – encouraging footfall at both BMW dealerships and foodbanks. The IFS estimates that inflation will reduce the buying power of benefits by over £10Bn. The changes to Income tax and National Insurance thresholds are presented as helping the least well off but they are irrelevant to those with low or no wages. The poorest paid and those unable to work due to illness, disability or caring responsibilities, are not touched by these tax changes, and in reality, the majority of the money spent on them goes the top half of the income distribution. The heavily means tested benefit system is specifically designed to target money at the least well off – instead of being invested in it was allowed to whither. The resources were there to reduce or even prevent are rise in poverty. £18Bn properly targeted using the existing tools would have be enough if helping the least well off was the priority. Ignoring the reality of life in disadvantaged communities Over the past few months, more and more worrying data describing the upcoming rises in the cost of living began to come in. With colleagues from the Church at the Margins team, we held informal meetings with church leaders who serve in disadvantaged areas, as well as speaking with people who battle with poverty themselves. The response to an explanation of the cost-of-living rise was usually a tired stunned silence. The last decade has seen the fabric of our poorest communities worn thin, and the gap between many people’s incomes and the bare minimum needed to live reduce to almost nothing. The pandemic hit the poorest hardest, with the least well off experiencing the largest health and economic consequences. During the pandemic overall household debt went down and savings increased because higher earners had reduced opportunities to spend, at the same time poorest who were most likely to lose jobs and income had no choice but to rack up debt. Between March 2020 and October 2021 the number of people struggling with bills and debt has doubled from 7.5 million to 15 million. Today’s reality is that church-based charities are routinely needed to enable many children to go into school clothed and fed. In this context tired stunned silence is the appropriate response to hearing about another bigger wave of hardship on the way. Communities not just households affected While budgets are always analysed by household it is important to recognise the impact on communities. Poverty concentrates: households of similar incomes, congregate in the same places, go to the same schools, shop in the same shops even go to the same churches. Shared struggle and hardship can lead to solidarity and mutual support – the community action during the pandemic is rightly celebrated example, but initiatives like Poverty Truth Commissions and Local Pantries are part of a long tradition of harnessing the solidarity that adversity can bring. However how the fragile infrastructure that enables communities’ bonds to flourish can hold when hardship is widespread and destitution becomes commonplace is difficult to see. There are lots of numbers and data to spell out the scale of the problem. The reality of the cost of living crisis was hit home to me by Amy*, a church volunteer, who is relies on Universal Credit payments long term due to disability. Her estimated energy bill has doubled – taking up over half her after rent income. She told me “There is simply nothing left to cut”. Difficult times ahead for the least well off Over the next few months price rises are likely to affect most of us. Our next energy bills may provoke outbursts of unchristian language and we will face unwanted and unexpected spending choices to keep our budgets on track. Most of us however will not face Amy’s choices. It is clear that the Spring statement did not focus on people like Amy. I would argue that the role of the church and individual Christians is to keep our focus on those, like Amy, who will face the harshest choices. We can pray, we can act by giving volunteering to projects that will address the increasing needs and we can […]
Category Archives: URC News
Empowered to Succeed or Set up to Fail?
Unprecedented. The last two years have certainly been unprecedented for us all and the rippling effects of the covid pandemic, coupled with the impact of Brexit, are resulting in fresh economic challenges for many of us. With rising inflation, interest … Continue reading
The Hope Won’t Kill You
Since the age of nine I have been a faithful and long-suffering supporter of Tottenham Hotspur. In the following decade-and-a-bit, I have never seen them win anything. I have shed more tears over football results than anything else in that … Continue reading
Net Zero From the Ground Up: the case for councils
We’re launching a new campaign, ‘Net Zero In My Neighbourhood’. This blog explores why we’re focusing on local councils for climate action, and how you can get involved. I’d like to use my car less but public transport is unreliable. … Continue reading
Nationality and Borders Act 2022
A statement on behalf of the Methodist Church in Britain, Baptists Together and the United Reformed Church We lament the passing of the Nationality and Borders Bill into law. Compelled by the Biblical call to welcome the stranger, our denominations … Continue reading
Senior Church leaders write to Peers ahead of House of Lords vote on Nationality & Borders Bill
As the Nationality and Borders Bill returns to the House of Lords this week, several senior Church leaders have written to peers to encourage them to stand up for changes to the Bill. On Tuesday 26th April, Peers are due … Continue reading
Senior Church leaders write to MPs ahead of vote on the Nationality & Borders Bill
Senior Church leaders have written to all MPs ahead of Wednesday’s vote on the Nationality and Borders Bill, urging them to use their influence to make changes to the Bill. The Nationality and Borders Bill is due to come before … Continue reading
Nationality and Borders Bill – What’s next?
In February, 1000+ faith leaders wrote to the Prime Minister raising their concerns about the Nationality and Borders Bill, urging him to make changes even at this late stage. At the beginning of April, we received a reply to the … Continue reading
Forced Labour in Fashion: Who Makes Our Clothes?
Who makes our clothes? This is the question that we have been asking high street fashion brands as part of our Forced Labour in Fashion campaign. Over the last few years more information has emerged about the treatment of those … Continue reading
Nationality and Borders Bill: Update from the House of Commons
On Tuesday 22nd March, the Nationality and Borders Bill returned to the House of Commons. MPs were given the chance to vote on the amendments made to the bill in the House of Lords, where it was met with strong resistance. … Continue reading
The Spring Statement number you need to know: 600,000 more people pulled into poverty.
The most important number from the entire spring statement was not from the Chancellor but from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. They estimated that over the next year, 600,000 people will be pulled into poverty[1]. The 14.6 million people already experiencing … Continue reading