Organisations ask MSPs to refuse legislative consent to UK Nationality and Borders Bill

MSPs have been asked to withhold the consent of the Scottish Parliament to the proposed legislation in a statement signed by over 60 organisations.

They say that, if passed, this bill will disproportionately and severely harm women and girls, children and young people and will criminalise vulnerable people on their arrival to the UK.

Sabir Zazai, chief executive of the Scottish Refugee Council, said: “This simply is not the kind of legislation we want to see here in Scotland. I very much hope that the Scottish Parliament chooses to stand with us too, and say in no uncertain terms that this bill is not welcome here and it is not in our name.

“After today’s debate, the Scottish government must act to ensure that its powers of legislation and policy are used to their very fullest extent to mitigate against the serious harms this bill will cause some of Scotland’s most vulnerable people. This letter sets out a clear five-point plan that we urge the Scottish government to put into action to practically show that this bill will never be in Scotland’s name.”

Jen Ang, director of Just Right Scotland, said: “We – together with so many organisations across Scotland who have joined us today – oppose this anti-survivor, anti-refugee, anti-safety bill. These reforms do not make our system safer or our borders more secure, but rather create cruel and unnecessary barriers for people seeking sanctuary here.

“We are also concerned that the bill seeks to interfere with how we protect and support all survivors of violence in Scotland – in particular, survivors of trafficking, women and children survivors of gender-based violence, and other survivors of complex and long-term trauma. This bill affects us all.”