26th January 2023 

With recent reports of children being kidnapped from home office run hotels, (the existence of these hotels in our own borough) the Tories are waging an escalating war on migrants’ rights and dignity: an intensifying Hostile Environment: The disregard of Windrush victims; the neglect of Ukrainians and Afghans in need; the brutal Rwandan deportation scheme; and now the humanitarian crisis unfolding at channel crossing. Anti-migrant politics have contributed to fascist violence, including the petrol-bombing of an immigration facility.

Now, only the rich can move and stay where they want. Immigration controls make migrant workers precarious and vulnerable to hyper-exploitation, pressing down wages and conditions for everyone.

We commend the work in our local area by organisations such as Refugee Action Kingston and Migrant Advocacy Service for the support they provide during these difficult times.

Kingston and Surbiton Labour have selected the following motion to send to London Labour’s Regional Conference, taking place this weekend. The motion will be seconded by our delegate and Minorities Officer, Praveen Kolluguri:

Refugees and Asylum

Moved: Lewisham Deptford  

Seconded: Kingston and Surbiton  

London Labour reaffirms the policies to defend free movement and migrants’ rights passed by Labour conferences. Conference notes and confirms Labour Conference Composites 20/2019 and

Composite 14/2021 on immigration, asylum seekers and refugees and will campaign for them in our communities.

Conference notes the appointment of Rishi Sunak as Prime Minister and the re-appointment of Suella Braverman as Home Secretary with responsibility for immigration and Border Force.

Conference believes that the Tory immigration policy is cruel and illegal, that Labour will stand for legal routes to enter and stay in the country, that recognises the right to work, a right of family reunification and uncompromising support for the rights of asylum seekers and refugees.

Conference congratulates the anti-raid network and its successful actions in Camberwell & Peckham.   Conference notes that there is an immigration detention centre in Harmondsworth and that there are three airports in the Greater London area. We reject any future construction of immigration detention and removal centres in London.

Conference resolves to express our complete opposition to the Rwanda scheme and opposition to the ‘hostile environment’ and applaud the National Labour Party’s determination to reverse it once elected.

We celebrate our city’s diversity and commit to defending our communities from the Government’s anti-migrant policies. Conference calls on the Mayor of London to declare London to be a City of Sanctuary. (https://cityofsanctuary.org/)

Conference resolves that London Labour will support those workers and unions taking industrial action to disrupt the Rwanda deportations and the hostile environment.