Free Movement Weekly Immigration Newsletter #90

Welcome to the weekly Free Movement newsletter! 

I am writing this week’s newsletter on Thursday, so the usual disclaimers apply if any big news is missing. I usually prefer to ignore the utterances of certain politicians, but it has only been a few days since the last newsletter and I need some content. So I’m afraid that I am going to take a look at what the shadow Justice minister said last week, seemingly while using a judge’s wig as a puppet (??).

In a speech given at what appeared to be a sparsely populated Tory conference last week, the shadow minister continued an attack on judges that has been championed by the right wing press who have been misreporting immigration and asylum appeals since the beginning of the year. He apparently has a list of judges whose views he does not agree with because they are suspected of being pro-migrant, for reasons including previous cases and social media posts. Names have been made public and as a consequence those judges have been placed at risk of far-right violence.

Meanwhile, suspicions are that this recent hit piece was written by a judge, given the access to the bookshelves in Field House. The article acknowledges that the Home Office makes bad decisions, yet concludes that the solution is to get rid of both lawyers and judges. No wonder there is no name attached, as this is an embarrassingly incoherent position. Presumably though, Jenrick would have no issue with any judge holding these views. 

On Free Movement, the latest podcast is out for those of you who want to listen to Barry and I discuss all things September. Right at the end I even managed to get Barry to discuss his most (in)famous case.

The Migration Advisory Committee has completed the first stage of its review of the temporary shortage list. Also last week, we finally have our newest Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration (and as a consequence are down one Immigration Services Commissioner). We republished our updated briefing on the role. 

We also had a few case write ups, with more to come this week. For everything else on Free Movement and elsewhere, read on.

Cheers, Sonia

What we’re reading

Asylum hotel provider makes £180m profit despite claims of inedible food and rationed loo paper – BBC News, 7 October

The truth about the small-boats crisis – The New Statesman, 8 October

Refugee Homelessness in Greater Manchester – Policy Briefing – Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit, 7 October

NHS could cease to function under Labour’s new visa rules, say nurses – The Guardian, 7 October

UK eyes migrant returns deal with Kosovo – Politico, 9 October

Tories say people denied benefits in UK can return to home countries – The Guardian, 6 October

What support do asylum seekers get in the UK? – Full Fact, 8 October

Europe’s new biometric border checks: what do non-EU travellers need to know? – The Guardian, 7 October