Protesters gather in Parliament Square to denounce UK's proposed asylum and migration law as MPs debate in Commons.
On Monday evening, a sizable crowd gathered at Parliament Square, starting near the Winston Churchill statue, to protest against the government's controversial new asylum and migration law. Chanting slogans such as "What do we want? Safe passage. When do we want it? Now" and "Who built the NHS? Migrants built the NHS," the demonstrators held up placards reading "migrants and refugees welcome here: blame austerity, not migrants."
The protest came as MPs debated the measures of the government's illegal migration bill, which would prevent individuals entering the UK on small boats from claiming asylum, and ban them from returning once removed. Asylum seekers currently have the right to remain in the country while their cases are heard.
On Monday night, MPs voted 312 in favour and 250 against the bill, advancing it to its second reading.
Earlier, at the Parliament Square protest, Kolbassia Haoussou MBE, a co-founder of Survivors Speak Out representing torture victims, spoke out against the bill. He stated that the proposed law would not prevent individuals from seeking asylum and that they would instead resort to even more dangerous methods of migration. "When people are fleeing, there’s nothing in this world that can stop them," he added, before urging attendees to contact their MPs, saying "We have people, we have the power."
SNP MP Stephen Flynn condemned the government's rhetoric, stating, "The Tories talk of invasions, of swarms ... They’re lying, it’s as simple as that. They’re trying to beat down on people to who they should be offering a helping hand. Shame on them."
Kay Marsh, a resident of Dover, expressed concern over the bill, calling it a "revenge plan." Meanwhile, Labour MP Nadia Whittome addressed the crowd, calling on Conservative MPs to stop using "dehumanising, denigrating, disgusting rhetoric" when discussing refugees.
People arriving on our shores are not invaders, queue jumpers, criminals, or illegals. They are people like you and me," said an unidentified speaker at the protest.
Denise Tolan, a retired teacher from Wokingham, Berkshire, travelled to the event and condemned the proposed law as "vile, hateful, and divisive." She criticized it for catering to xenophobia, stating that it did not represent the people and was shameful. "I'm lost for words," she added.
Nick, who works for a human rights charity, said: “I’m here to show people that what this government is doing is just disgusting. It’s incredibly upsetting to see how we’re turning as a country. And it’s scary, I’m genuinely scared.
“The government say people are illegal but no people can be illegal. But these proposals go completely against international human rights standards.”
More than 45,500 people crossed the Channel on small boats to the UK in 2022, compared with 28,000 the year before.
Meanwhile, more than 160,000 people in the UK are waiting for decisions on their applications for asylum.