📣 📣 New today The UK should lead a coalition to reform the implementation of the Refugee Convention and deliver a system that's fairer, safe and more controlled. A thread 🧵 futuregovforum.substack.com/p/the-refuge...

Seventy-five years on, calls to retire the Refugee Convention are growing - its critics argue that it's outdated and not fit for purpose in the twenty first century They're wrong. 🧵

This is part of @futuregovforum.bsky.social's Future of Asylum project, led by @bethgardiner-smith.bsky.social and @emilyagraham.bsky.social. Akiko's is the first of a series of essays to be published soon, and follows our first report on this in May www.futuregovernanceforum.co.uk/resource/asy...

Really timely piece from Akiko Hart, Director of @libertyhq.bsky.social, on the ECHR: context about what it does (and does not) do, options for reform at both UK and European level, and - most importantly of all - how progressives should talk about it futuregovforum.substack.com/p/rewrite-th...

📖 👇 First of a series of essays we have coming up tackling the big questions on the 'Future of Asylum' and how Progressives should respond. @akikohart.bsky.social on the ECHR argues we need fewer lofty appeals and history lessons, and more practical appeals to how it benefits each of us.

Here we go again - UK's membership of European Convention is once again hotly contested, this time because of small boats & migration In this essay, 'Rewrite the story or risk it all: Labour’s test on human rights', @libertyhq.bsky.social's @akikohart.bsky.social looks at why & what's at stake 🧵

📣 Mentors wanted! Have you studied at Master's degree level or higher? Have 4-6 hours a month to spare? 🙋 Oxford's Refugee-Led Research Hub is looking for mentors to provide application support to displaced students applying for master’s degrees. For more info ➡️ drive.google.com/file/d/113tv...

Opportunity to join Care Rights UK's board as a new trustee! This is a fantastic opportunity to support a brilliant charity that's helping older people in care, often at the sharp end of failures in the system. Please consider & share. Find out more: www.carerightsuk.org/news/join-ou...

Excellent response to the latest from Farage by Ben Goldsborough MP "Make no mistake: what Reform UK is offering is nothing less than the removal of your freedoms...It is an assault not just on migrants, but on you." 🧵
on what's at risk for women & girls www.politics.co.uk/mp-comment/2...

There's been a lot of talk about asylum hotels over the last few weeks, but little in the way of practical suggestions. Our new analysis at @refugeecouncil.bsky.social sets out how the government could end the use of hotels within months, rather than years www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...

Opportunity to join Care Rights UK's board as a new trustee! This is a fantastic opportunity to support a brilliant charity that's helping older people in care, often at the sharp end of failures in the system. Please consider & share. Find out more: www.carerightsuk.org/news/join-ou...

Well. It seems even Farage thinks he went a bit far. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

"meaningful international cooperation on migration and security depends not on weakening human rights protections, but on staying committed to them" Absolutely right - and great to see @tonyvaughanmp.bsky.social making the case for the UK's continued commitment to the ECHR 👇

"No one needed to attack anyone in my name" "It felt like people were using my gender to justify their own opinions or actions” "Where has hate ever got anyone?" Three women's take on the right-wing protests in their area - great to see this @glamour.com www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/article/far-...

There is now also caseworker guidance, setting out the prioritisation process: • Stage 1: high-grant and high-volume nationalities • Stage 2: connection to the UK • Stage 3: random selection of Expression of Interest application Connection to the UK means having previously been lawfully in the UK.

ICYMI - As the UK/France migration deal comes into force, you can read @bethgardiner-smith.bsky.social & my take here, drawing on our research with @futuregovforum.bsky.social 👇

"A tired tale of cuts, broken pledges, neighbourhood neglect and poor-value outsourcing. But a subplot fraught with rumour and racism is darkening the story." Important reporting on asylum hotel policy, but depressing read -

V powerful testimony from Care Rights UK’s Helen Wildbore, but difficult listening I don't underestimate the difficulty of decision-making for social care in face of new pandemic but must look at what happened & why - not only for future emergencies but also in fixing today's social care failures

Today (Weds) at 11.30 our webinar on the new British Seven Segments. More on the new fault lines, the segments and what it means for politics/issues/institutions. Sign up here moreincommon.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

V fascinating insights, especially for the political debate re: asylum - Asylum is top 3 issue for voters so 'do nothing' is not an option But how Labour communicates about asylum & what they're doing matters. Actively seeking conflict & attention risks increasing salience which benefits Reform 👇

The UK-France migration deal combines pragmatism with progressive principles. This new alliance might just have provided the answer to social democrats seeking a response to the populist right. Our piece for @labourlist.bsky.social @emilyagraham.bsky.social labourlist.org/2025/07/keir...

I've been reflecting on @adamterryfgf.bsky.social's key lesson from Labour's first year in office: the urgency of thinking long-term There's a particular relevance for asylum policy - particularly that 'tension of time horizons' between immediate challenges & longer-term solutions 👇

The UK's 2 Afghan relocation schemes are being quietly closed to new applications/referrals today ACRS aimed resettle around 20k people. It's relocated 12.8k in 4 years, around half of whom came in Aug 2021 ARAP has resettled 21.3k Afghans, with 22k cases still pending www.gov.uk/government/p...

Positive to see these discussions between UK & France on tackling Channel crossings, which go beyond existing enforcement & security approach Two things: 1) UK should get ‘admissions’ side of deal working hard (this shouldn’t just be about returns) 2) Needs scale 🧵 www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

The Centre for Applied Human Rights at the University of York is offering one scholarship worth £7,300 for the 2025/26 academic year. Deadline: 15 August 2025, 23:59 BST. Find out more and apply 👇 www.york.ac.uk/cahr/news/20...

FGF’s team of experts analyse what the #SpendingReview means for: * The government’s economic agenda * Local and regional government * Infrastructure * Mission-driven government * Transformative technology * Asylum. Read more ⬇️ www.futuregovernanceforum.co.uk/2025/06/11/w...

New @ippr.org analysis on govt plan to extend qualifying period for settlement from 5 to 10 years. - Around 1.7m people already in UK could be affected. - Evidence says restricting settlement could inhibit integration and earnings. - Public do not support 10 year wait. www.ippr.org/articles/not...

With new ONS net migration figures out today, we must note that public concern about immigration is largely focused on small boats, rather than work or study Today's Home Office statistics show that the number of people crossing the Channel was up 22% in the year ending March 2025 🧵

New ONS data published this morning shows a 50% fall in net migration - but new polling finds that this wasn't expected by the public, with most thinking numbers would go up This is both a challenge (need to realign debate with reality) & critically, an opportunity for a reset on migration policy

ICYMI last week, a great new report by my colleagues @emilyagraham.bsky.social and @bethgardiner-smith.bsky.social proposing 'Asylum Management Centres' as a new way of reducing the number of small boat crossings in the Channel www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...

The new EU/UK deal includes a joint commitment to tackle Channel crossings, but what could such cooperation look like? Continued enforcement is only half the answer - UK Govt should also seek to open access to asylum from France to divert people into regular pathways & reduce Channel crossings 👇

Don’t miss this @hollybancroft.bsky.social story in today’s @the-independent.com on FGF's new report which proposes setting up Asylum Management Centres to cut small boat crossings 🗞️⬇️ www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...

👉 Published today: new proposal to open access to UK asylum system from France to reduce people crossing the Channel by small boat So what are we proposing - and most importantly - why do we think this will work? 🧵

📣 Job opportunity 📣 Fantastic opportunity to join Care Rights UK as their first Fundraising Manager! Care Rights UK are ambitious & growing - it's a fantastic time to join & shape their fundraising programme £40K FTE | Flexible | Closes 14 April Please share: www.carerightsuk.org/news/fundrai...

Stark - but critical - warning from @alfdubs.bsky.social in the FT "My fear is that affording protections & safety to refugees is, tragically, becoming as unpopular today as offering protection & safety to many of Europe’s Jews was in 1938" www.ft.com/content/78e1...

We're #hiring! 💼 @futuregovforum.bsky.social is looking to appoint a Media Manager to lead our growing media and comms activity, and help increase the impact of our work in 2025. Know anyone who might be interested? Please share! How to apply 👇 www.futuregovernanceforum.co.uk/media-manager/

I'm recruiting a new researcher to join my team @hopenothate.org.uk. Come join us! hopenothate.org.uk/about-us/car...

Some positive news! The Home Office are piloting giving newly recogised refugees 56 days before they lose their asylum support instead of the current 28 days. Some concerns about the details, but 28 days isn’t long enough to find somewhere to live & another income www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/home...

Exactly what I had been feeling but unable to put into words - thank you In my experience, I have desperately wanted loved ones to have that choice. But I’m also cautious & frankly fearful about if/how this can be done well, considering the state of services and treatment of disabled people