A year in power, and…

Editorials

A year in power, and so much needs to change

It has been a year since this government took power, and it has been a busy one in regard to its policies on immigration. Despite a positive start with the cancelling of the previous government’s horrendous Rwanda plan, and the ending of the contract for the floating prison ship the Bibby Stockholm, things have deteriorated dramatically for many migrants. On asylum, the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, currently going through parliament, further criminalises those seeking safety in the UK. While it does rescind elements of previous policy, including the…

It has been a year since this government took power, and it has been a busy one in regard to its policies on immigration. Despite a positive start with the…

Labour’s inhumane immigration proposals will destroy lives

14/05/2025 In announcing its anti-immigration White Paper this government has attempted to lay the blame of its own policies, and those of previous governments, at the feet of migrants. These are not policies yet though, they are proposals. A disturbing and depressing “wish list” of ideas to treat us as if we are somehow second class and disposable. These proposals not only ignore the pain and suffering which the existing immigration systems causes on a daily basis, they seek to make it worse. Among them, and there are many to…

14/05/2025 In announcing its anti-immigration White Paper this government has attempted to lay the blame of its own policies, and those of previous governments, at the feet of migrants. These…

Letter from the editor: Migrant Voice newspaper

What an extraordinary 15 years! When I and a group of migrants and friends established Migrant Voice in 2010 the media was full of migrant stories. But few of the stories were by migrants or quoted migrants. Even large non-government organisations were making decisions about what to say about migrants: we migrants were told “the experts” knew more than we did. The inevitable result was an increasingly negative debate, inaccurate media reports, wild claims by politicians, inexorably followed by a perfect storm of bad practices and policies, including: - an…

What an extraordinary 15 years! When I and a group of migrants and friends established Migrant Voice in 2010 the media was full of migrant stories. But few of the…

We’re not cash machines, stop penalising migrants

New increases to visa fees are guaranteed to push more people into poverty, especially as the UK already had among the highest visa fees in the world. There is growing economic instability in the world, everyone is feeling the crunch as prices go up and bills become more unaffordable. For migrants, increases to visa fees feel like a penalty on us for living and working in the UK. We already pay taxes, and most of us do not have access to any public funds to act as a safety net…

New increases to visa fees are guaranteed to push more people into poverty, especially as the UK already had among the highest visa fees in the world. There is growing…

Policies of cruelty only harm everyone

In their apparent attempts to limit losses to Reform during the local elections, Labour is pursuing policies which harm some of the most vulnerable in society, with no consideration for their voices or experiences. This latest policy of denying citizenship to refugees based on their manner of entry not only shows the inhumanity inherent within current “border policies”. It risks the UK, once again, violating some of the most central tenets of International Refugee Law. not to face penalties for their manner of entry, which this clearly is, and for…

In their apparent attempts to limit losses to Reform during the local elections, Labour is pursuing policies which harm some of the most vulnerable in society, with no consideration for…

2024 in review

This year has been a powerful testament to the resilience and determination of migrant communities and those who stand with them. Amid challenges, we have seen remarkable acts of solidarity, compassion, and hope that remind us of what can be achieved when we come together. At Migrant Voice, during 2024 we have continued our mission to tell our stories and change the narrative on migration. Across the UK, our work has brought people together to share experiences, and demand rights, to create lasting change: From powerful media stories and exhibitions…

This year has been a powerful testament to the resilience and determination of migrant communities and those who stand with them. Amid challenges, we have seen remarkable acts of solidarity,…

Standing up to hate and division: safe space meetings

Earlier this year we saw far-right riots sweep across the country. Many of us were left in fear, scared to leave our homes, terrified in our own communities. We also saw solidarity though. We saw people stand up against the rising hate and division. We saw the public band together. In response to concerns from our members, we organised “safe space meetings” for people to discuss how they were now feeling in the wake of the racist violence which had affected so many, and how we can move forward in…

Earlier this year we saw far-right riots sweep across the country. Many of us were left in fear, scared to leave our homes, terrified in our own communities. We also…

Day of #ActionOnVisas - standing in solidarity

The extortionate costs of visas, long routes to settlement, restrictive and complex system, minimum income requirements, among so many other things, impact upon the lives of people every single day. With visa fees currently seven to ten times the actual costs of processing them, the International Health Surcharge exceeding the cost of some private medical insurances, and the Minimum Income Requirement for spouses and dependants set at such a level as to exclude more than 50% of the population, it is clear that the system needs changing. On Thursday 31…

The extortionate costs of visas, long routes to settlement, restrictive and complex system, minimum income requirements, among so many other things, impact upon the lives of people every single day.…

We need regularisation for undocumented migrants, not returns

The reasons people become undocumented can be varied, but people do not choose it. Many of those who are undocumented in the UK have become so through no fault of their own. It can be something as simple as an error on a form, a communications breakdown, including very often letters from the Home Office being sent to the wrong address. Things which could happen to anybody when dealing with large organisations, just think about the errors which can happen with utility companies. For migrants though these errors can have…

The reasons people become undocumented can be varied, but people do not choose it. Many of those who are undocumented in the UK have become so through no fault of…

Hostile language led to riots, now it needs to change

Our communities have been attacked. We have been made to feel afraid in our own homes. We have been made to feel unsafe on our own streets. All of this caused by a minority of far-right thugs. What we have seen can be looked at as terrorism against our communities. A minority of racists attempting to use violence to push their ideological agenda. We have also seen how people come together to oppose hate and division though. Thousands of people have stood up and stood against the far-right. They have…

Our communities have been attacked. We have been made to feel afraid in our own homes. We have been made to feel unsafe on our own streets. All of this…

A year in power, and so much needs to change

Editorials