As our political parties gear up for a surprise summer General Election on July 4th, organisations and groups working across the migration, refugee, homelessness and housing sectors are considering how best to engage with political decision-makers to ensure that refugee and migrants’ rights, and the issues that affect them, are high on the policy agenda for any incoming Government.
NACCOM’s vision is for the UK to have a fair, just and humane asylum and immigration system, which enables people seeking asylum, refugees and other migrants to be free from destitution and to live with dignity and agency. But current policies, including those encompassed by the hostile environment and the Illegal Migration Act, are driving an increase in destitution, homelessness and hardship in refugee and migrant communities, as well as placing frontline voluntary sector organisations, including NACCOM members, under immense and unnecessary pressure.
Whichever party wins, the General Election and post-election period presents an important opportunity for the NACCOM network and partners to make the case to change key, harmful policies that lead to destitution and homelessness. With any incoming Government, there is also the chance to reset and forge new, productive relationships with the voluntary and public sector, as well as those with lived experience, who stand ready to collaborate and provide evidence-based solutions that benefit and strengthen communities, rather than divide and weaken them.
Read more about what an incoming Government needs to prioritise to end destitution, our key campaigning asks, and the powerful research, shaped and developed by NACCOM volunteers with lived experience of destitution and immigration control, that underpins our calls for change.
NACCOM has also analysed what the main political parties are promising on key issues related to UK asylum and immigration, and housing and homelessness, policy.
Other campaigns and actions we’re supporting:
Many of our members and partners have produced useful resources to enable frontline organisations and individuals to make their voices heard on key issues related to asylum, refugee protection, housing and homelessness in the run up to the General Election.
NACCOM will continue to update our shared General Election resources folder (members only), and the resources list below, with relevant information as we near the General Election. If you cannot access the folder, please get in touch with Leon Elliott, NACCOM’s Policy and Research Coordinator.
Asylum and refugee protection
➡️ Asylum Matters: The charity has published new General Election resources to help local groups to engage with prospective parliamentary candidates on the Fight the Anti-Refugee Laws campaign. The resources include;
- ‘Building a compassionate refugee protection system’ a 2-page document setting out key principles and policy asks for parliamentary candidates;
- ‘Campaigning ahead of the 2024 General Election’, which collates different resources and tips around campaigning in a General Election year and ensuring your work keeps within charity and electoral commission rules.
➡️ Praxis have produced a guide to help change hearts and mind on migration, that explores how to have conversations with people on issues related to migration.
➡️ Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS): NACCOM member JRS has compiled some campaigning resources aligned to some key asks that NACCOM also supports, including the right to claim asylum and the right to work.
➡️ Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI) has launched a manifesto for migrant justice, outlining a five-point vision to ensure that all those who migrate are treated fairly and humanely, through rights, safety, dignity, justice and community. They have also produced a set of resources for organisations to use to campaign around six central principles for migrant justice.
- JCWI’s Manifesto
- Six steps towards migrant justice – suggested social media and website copy – Google Docs
➡️ Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit (GMIAU) have released a set of expectation aimed at politicians in the Greater Manchester region, to urge decision-makers in the next Government to consider
Homelessness and Housing
➡️ Shelter has produced resources including an MP email tool to empower organisations to contact their MPs/prospective MPs on key issues across housing and homelessness in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, including the critical need for more social housing.
➡️ Crisis is inviting supporters and activists to #MakeHistory and join the call to end homelessness, including signing an open letter to political party leaders urging them to commit to ending homelessness.
➡️ The Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) has produced a ten-point manifesto, and resources for CIH members ahead of the General Election, focussing on decent and affordable homes, including more social housing.