More than a thousand MPs, Labour members, trade unionists and campaigners have put their names to a statement urging the Labour leadership to pull back from its attacks on migrants’ rights. 

The statement (full text below), which was coordinated by the Labour Campaign for Free Movement and Momentum, argues that Labour should instead focus on improving people’s lives. 

“Anti-migrant politics will not build a single house, staff a single hospital or raise anyone’s wages,” it argues. “Instead, by echoing its rhetoric, the government is simply fuelling the rise of Reform.

“We urge Labour’s leaders to recognise that Labour’s only route to victory is to deliver for the vast majority of people. We need to reverse austerity, address the climate crisis, take on the water and energy companies ripping us off, and foster a politics of working class solidarity.”

Last week, the government began to release videos of deportations. It also doubled down on the criminalisation of irregular arrivals, and took steps to ban those arriving irregularly from ever becoming British citizens. 

Separately, the government last week said a judge was wrong to give a Gazan family asylum because the scheme under which asylum was granted was meant only for Ukrainians. 

Keir Starmer, who was elected as Labour leader promising to “defend freedom of movement”, U-turned on that policy in 2022. The government is now opposed even to a youth mobility scheme and has opposed the introduction of safe routes. 

Michael Chessum, a member of Tooting CLP and campaigner with the Labour Campaign for Free Movement, said: “The Tories left the UK with an immigration system that was the envy of the far right across Europe. So far, Labour has ditched the Rwanda scheme but retained the rest. This performative cruelty will be an electoral disaster – all the leadership is doing is giving the appearance of a consensus behind Reform’s main narratives. If you want to know where that road leads, just look at Olaf Scholz.”

Sasha Das Gupta, Momentum co-Chair, said: “The government’s latest anti-migrant measures cross a line. On the ground, members and activists right across the Party are expressing their disgust that the Party leadership appears to be trying to outdo the Tories and Reform on anti-migrant cruelty. 

“Migrants are not to blame for falling wages, declining public services or the housing crisis. We need real solutions to these problems – Labour must have the courage to take on big business interests, tax the super-rich and invest in communities.”

Kirsty Jones, a Labour councillor in Nottingham, said: “The Tories were never interested in stopping the small boats for humanitarian reasons. They were interested in weaponising hatred against refugees to win elections. If Labour plays this game, it will lose – and it will jeopardise lives and violate human rights in the process. 

“No one risks their life crossing the channel or the Mediterranean unless they have no other option. Talk of smashing the gangs by force is a fantasy – we need safe and legal routes to destroy the demand for dangerous crossings.”

The full statement, with signatories, is as follows:

This week, the government has published videos of deportations, restated its intention to criminalise people arriving irregularly, and banned them from ever becoming British citizens.

These measures mimic the performative cruelty of the failed Tory governments rejected by voters last July. They also breach Britain’s international obligations to respect the right to claim asylum and guarantee safe routes.

Far from being a drain on this country, migrants from all over the world enrich our society in every sense. Anti-migrant politics will not build a single house, staff a single hospital or raise anyone’s wages. Instead, by echoing its rhetoric, the government is simply fuelling the rise of Reform.

We urge Labour’s leaders to recognise that Labour’s only route to victory is to deliver for the vast majority of people. We need to reverse austerity, address the climate crisis, take on the water and energy companies ripping us off, and foster a politics of working class solidarity.

Signed: Mick Whelan, ASLEF General Secretary, Nadia Whittome MP, John McDonnell MP, Diane Abbott MP, Bell Ribeiro Addy MP, Clive Lewis MP, Apsana Begum MP, Jeremy Corbyn MP, Zarah Sultana MP, Jon Trickett MP, Brian Leishman MP, Kim Johnson MP, Ian Lavery MP, Stephen Witherden MP, Ian Byrne MP, John Hendy, House of Lords, Prem Sikka, House of Lords, Christine Blower, House of Lords, Bryn Davies, House of Lords, Michael Chessum, Labour Campaign for Free Movement, Sasha das Gupta, Co-Chair of Momentum, Ben Selby, Fire Brigades Union Assistant General Secretary, Ian Hodson, BFAWU President, Andrea Egan, UNISON NEC, Elaine Jones, Unison NEC, Vijay Menezes-Jackson, PCS NEC & SEC, Ed Whitby, UNISON NEC and Local Gov Executive, Bryn Griffiths, Momentum Vice Chair, Hilary Wainwright, NUJ, Co-editor Red Pepper, Senior Research Associate Institute of Development Studies, Sussex University, Dora Polenta, LGBTQIA+ Officer, Musters Ward Councillor (Rushcliffe Borough Council), Anthony Wedlake; Wrexham County Councillor, Kirsty L Jones Nottingham City Councillor, Momentum NCG, Calix Eden Norwich North Councillor, Satinder Shokar Chatham & Aylesford Councillor, Cllr Eleanor Bell, Laura Parker, Cllr Philip Graham, Paul Mackney, former Joint General Secretary of UCU, Luke Cooper, Associate Professorial Research Fellow in International Relations, LSE; and around a thousand others HERE.

Image: c/o Labour Hub.