RAMP Project Statement for International Migrants Day
Today is International Migrants Day, a chance to pause and reflect on the valued contribution of migrants to our nation - and to consider how we meet the challenges and opportunities which lie ahead on migration policy in this new parliament.
There are around 272 million migrants around the world. In the UK, around 9.3 million people living here were born outside the UK. That is around 14% of the population. Many migrated here for work, or to join family members, or to study. Some have moved from necessity, others from choice. Some arrived as refugees, or came in search of a new life of freedom and safety after fleeing places of conflict and oppression. Many have made the UK their lasting home, and contribute to both the nation’s economy and its cultural vibrancy. From doctors and nurses in our NHS across the country, to fruit pickers in Lincolnshire and flower growers on the Isles of Scilly, the UK economy benefits from the contributions of migrants in many different ways.
But while the contribution of migration to the UK is clear, the current system for managing it is inadequate to meet the challenges and opportunities facing the nation after Brexit. From excessive fees to ineffective asylum processes, the system offers neither the compassion nor the control this country requires.
As the new government prepares to exit the European Union and implement the Withdrawal Agreement, it will need an immigration system which attracts the migrants that our economy requires, honours our commitments to EU citizens, offers a just and fair welcome to those seeking sanctuary, and secures public support for migration. It is in everyone’s interest to build an immigration system that is compassionate, managed, and genuinely open to the world.
The RAMP Project supports a cross-party group of Parliamentarians to secure sensible and practical changes to migration policy. We want to improve the quality of the political debate about migration in Parliament, and build consensus around the steps needed to build a compassionate and managed migration system that works for both newcomers and long-standing residents of Britain. We advocate for a system that values skills and matches the needs of the economy, but also upholds the rights of individuals and addresses community needs at the same time - and which commands public confidence.
We look forward to continuing to work constructively and openly with the Government and politicians of all parties in this new Parliament. You can follow our work at @RAMPproject.
Parliamentarians will soon reconvene the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Migration which the RAMP Project supports. Events in the New Year will focus on issues around skilled migration, citizenship pathways, and mitigating the risks of destitution which the current system allows - especially for asylum seekers and refugees. You can follow the APPG at @APPGMigration.
This International Migrants Day, please join us in celebrating the important role that migration plays in our nation, and working with us in Parliament and beyond to secure a world-class migration system fit for the future.