Today Nigel Farage announced he's standing down as MP for Clacton, forcing a by-election he's framing as "the people vs the establishment" over his financial dealings. But that framing misses the real story entirely. 🧵

🚨 The government wants to gut Article 8: your right to family and private life. It's buried in the new immigration bill. 🧵 on what's at stake

🚨 The government wants to gut Article 8 — your right to family and private life. It's buried in the new immigration bill. 🧵 on what's at stake:

Last week, @andyburnham.bsky.social won in Makerfield by offering a politics of hope over hate. Now we need him to bring that same energy to immigration. Here's what we're asking him to do 🧵

As we reflect on Keir Starmer's resignation, we can't help but think of what we see as one of his biggest failures: the inability to recognise the contribution people born abroad have made and continue to make to the UK. 🧵

This Father's Day, we remember thousands of dads separated from their families by the UK's harsh visa rules: stuck abroad because their partners in the UK cannot meet the requirements or unable to bring their family to the UK. So we ask children what their Daddy means to them?

🧵 Today, on @ukforunhcr.bsky.social's #WorldRefugeeDay — theme: "Until Everyone Is Safe" — we're calling out the Government for closing refugee family reunion: one of the few safe routes for people already here in the UK. 1/4

Last night Andy Burnham's victory in the Makerfield by-election with a commanding majority give us a bit of hope: For once, the anti-immigration voices and their divisive arguments have been defeated. But we can't rest yet. Should Burnham become PM, we need him to hear us clearly.

1/ Did you know the UK government decides whether you can live with your own family — based on your salary? 💔 Since April 2024, British citizens and settled residents must earn at least £29,000 to sponsor a partner's visa. Take our quiz to learn more: actionnetwork.org/surveys/coul... 🧵👇

I just took a @rfuk.bsky.social survey: Could you afford to keep your family together? . Take it here: actionnetwork.org/surveys/coul...

I just took a @rfuk.bsky.social survey: Could you afford to keep your family together? Take it here: actionnetwork.org/surveys/coul...

1/ Did you know the UK government decides whether you can live with your own family — based on your salary? 💔 Since April 2024, British citizens and settled residents must earn at least £29,000 to sponsor a partner's visa. Take our quiz to learn more: actionnetwork.org/surveys/coul... 🧵👇

Around half UK's workforce would be blocked from family life here if they had to meet Britain's spouse visa requirements Enduring long term separation Forced single parenting Children growing up without a parent ✍️ Take our 2‑min survey: actionnetwork.org/surveys/reun...

Around half UK's workforce would be blocked from family life here if they had to meet Britain's spouse visa requirements Enduring long term separation Forced single parenting Children growing up without a parent ✍️ Take our 2‑min survey: actionnetwork.org/surveys/reun...

In a recent debate, the Minister for Immigration spoke about “firm but fair” policies. But after 14 years of harsh family immigration rules, we need to ask: fair for whom?

It was never really about jobs/crime/welfare benefits etc. @pkrugman.bsky.social's discussion of MAGA's real motives - cruelty and racism - applies almost verbatim to much the anti-immigration right here in politics/media/online paulkrugman.substack.com/p/pogroms-am...

We’re told by certain media, billionaires and politicians that immigration is a problem But imagine what the UK would look like without the people who actually help make Britain “great”? Our friends, neighbours, communities - and our families ✍️ Sign/share reunitefamiliesuk.co.uk/sign

For countless families, half term means time together: a short trip, quality moments with the kids, a chance to breathe. But for families separated by the UK's spouse visa rules, it's just another painful reminder of the happy moments those rules steal from them. A short 🧵

This is a shocking indictment of the abject failure of UK news shows to get the actual facts about net migration across to the public and call out the bull**** by the likes of Nigel Farage youtu.be/WuSKdLtKHCs?...

The Government is celebrating falling migration numbers. We're asking you to look at what those numbers hide. A 🧵 reunitefamiliesuk.co.uk/behind-the-n...

While the far right marched through London last Saturday, we were in a Manchester community garden dancing. 🧵1/6

🧵 1/2 Imagine doing this alone For families separated by spouse visa rules, this is reality — especially for those with children who have medical or additional needs Appointments missed Sleepless nights Juggling job and childs complex needs — carried by one parent alone

🧵 1/3 💔 Growing old together shouldn't be a privilege but in the UK it is Spouse visa rules aren’t just affecting families & young couples Older partners are being forced to choose to: ➡️ Leave everything behind [home, family, healthcare] to be together elsewhere or ➡️ Live apart in later life

You cannot celebrate mental health while tearing families apart: We're deeply concerned that the King's Speech proposals to further restrict Art 8 our right to family life under the European Convention on Human Rights have gone unnoticed by press&politicians reunitefamiliesuk.co.uk/quiet-attack...

No Child Should Grow Up Like This — But Thousands Are…. Children missing everyday moments with mummy or daddy - bedtimes, birthdays, holidays, just being together Young children feeling anxiety, trauma, heartbreak, depression - not because they’ve lost a parent to death...

King's Speech content latest. Here is what is being reported on the immigration bill. I still think they'll use the rules (not a bill) for 'how you qualify for settlement'. The restrictions on Article 8 will need a bill though. All very grim. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

1/2 Our Families Belong Together report shows how UK spouse visa rules are pushing families into years of separation, anxiety, and emotional harm Children growing up without a parent Partners missing years together Lives on hold

Amidst the political fallout from Labour's local election losses, it was galling to hear the PM say today that they don't want to be a "lite version" of Reform or the Greens. 🧵

🧵 1/ This #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek we will highlight how the visa rules are a sustained attack on our wellbeing The UK’s spouse visa system is devastating families Every day at RFUK we see: Couples forced apart or pushed into exile Missed milestones Relationships stretched to breaking point

"This is not a problem for Jewish people to have to respond to. This is a problem for all of us to fix". This is the full text of the letter, of which I am among the signatories: the broad civic coalition of support for this message of solidarity was convened by the Together coalition.

Falling in love should be simple 💛 But if your partner isn’t British, it isn’t. Our short film highlights just SOME of the cold hard realities you need to know about family life in the UK and the #TaxOnLove 🎬 Watch & share👇 reunitefamiliesuk.co.uk/sign #FamiliesBelongTogether

🚨 WE WON — and the Government cannot appeal again. The Court of Appeal has blocked the Government from challenging the costs ruling in our landmark case against the Minimum Income Requirement. It's final. 1/🧵https://reunitefamiliesuk.co.uk/we-won-and-the-government-cannot-appeal-again/

Disgraceful, distasteful policy. It stopped me from returning to the UK with my family. Since it's all about £'s I wonder if anyone's calculated the opportunity costs of the exiled? 2 qualified experienced working adults would pay 20-30k/yr - Income tax, NI, Employer NIC & VAT into the system...

What if being with the person you love came with a huge price tag? Rebecca is British. David is Ugandan. They've 2 children but live thousands of miles apart Not because they are divorced but because Rebecca, like half the country, doesn’t earn £29,000 — and David’s income doesn’t count

Being a family in the UK — when one of you isn’t from here — comes with a shocking price tag “We’ve spent £21,000 on visas — and we’re the lucky ones.” “One application cost us £8,000.” “It wiped out our house deposit.”

Imagine having to pay to live with your family? In the UK, couples/families are forced to pay £1000s every 2.5 years just to stay together - pushing them into debt & burnout whilst millions are made in visa fees ➡️✍️ Sign & share: 👇 reunitefamiliesuk.co.uk/sign #TaxOnLove #FamiliesBelongTogether

The UK government has been destroying families for years, and has only become more punitive and restrictive in their policies. If you want to support the @rfuk.bsky.social, you can follow them on here and also sign and share their letter. reunitefamiliesuk.co.uk/sign/

We’re proud to be a co-signatory of this letter highlighting the sustained attack on children contained in the Government's immigration reforms. The rights of all children must come first. Their wellbeing shouldn't be sacrificed. Ever. 👇 www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...

"There is a profound contradiction between implementing progressive proposals for collective bargaining in social care while making hundreds of thousands of the sector's existing workers more economically and socially insecure." @guardianheather.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/business/202...

@animalarchaeology.com hi Alex, could you kindly DM us ? thanks ! Matteo (RFUK)

Being British or settled doesn’t mean your spouse can live with you 🇬🇧 Earn under £29k? No visa. Can’t save £88,500? No visa. Have kids together? Doesn’t matter. 🚨 We're launching this campaign today—help us tell the gov to stop profiting from tearing families apart reunitefamiliesuk.co.uk/sign

We stand with Unison workers opposing the Government’s “earned settlement”. These plans risk greater instability and exploitation. Contrary to claims by the Home Office, care workers are highly skilled and their work is essential. We will fight until this classist, racist policy is scrapped.

RFUK has supported individuals experiencing domestic abuse whilst on spouse routes to settlement and our first priority will always be with the victim who deserves absolute protection, belief, support and access to a system that allows them to escape violence and rebuild their lives here in the UK.

UK visa fees have increased again. @rfuk.bsky.social has calculated that families on 5-year route to settlement now pay £6,697 in visa fees and £5,175 for IHS. The profit margin on the first partner visa fee is 77%. See reunitefamiliesuk.co.uk/visa-fees-ha...

There's always been legal advisors who abuse the vulnerabilities of migrants and misuse the asylum system. They should be held to account - not the 2% legitimately seeking safety. Don't be swayed by media narratives seeking to fuel anti-immigrant sentiment + justify horrendous, inhumane policies

"The suggestion that large numbers of people are falsely claiming #asylum on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity is deeply misleading and risks harming those genuinely fleeing persecution." Read our response to today's #BBC article: microrainbow.org/isolated-cas... #LGBT

Prof Portes exposes once again the holes in the government's supposed savings of "earned settlement" There’s no justification for these reforms, they should be scrapped. Our public services won’t become better by making the lives of migrants more miserable and difficult than they already are.

If* immigration controls are a vital public service, they should be paid for out of general taxation, like other public services, not vastly subsidised by the people burdened by them. Fees have become outrageous, and waivers hard to obtain, all in return for a dysfunctional & cruel system *big IF

One of the most progressive reforms you could make to our immigration system* would be to reduce sharply the outrageous cost of applying to come or to stay here *short of abolishing it, obviously