Thank you to all of those who have contacted me about LGBT+ asylum seekers and the Illegal Migration Bill. The Bill received Royal Assent on 20 July and is now the Illegal Migration Act 2023.

I appreciate the concerns that you have raised on this important issue. This Act provides the Home Secretary with the powers to remove asylum seekers who have arrived by irregular means to their country of origin or a ‘third country’. I do not believe that it is right to remove LGBT+ refugees to third countries with governments that pursue homophobic and transphobic policies. I therefore supported Lord Etherton’s amendment to restrict the list of removal destinations.

Frustratingly, on both of the occasions that this change was put to the House of Commons, it was voted down. The Government has argued that it is unnecessary as asylum seekers are able to appeal their removal to a third country on human rights grounds. I do not understand why the Government would wish to put asylum seekers and British taxpayers through an expensive and time-consuming appeals process. Instead, this scenario could simply be ruled out.

Furthermore, I remain deeply worried by the risks that the Rwanda scheme poses to LGBT+ asylum seekers. Serious concerns have been raised about Rwandan treatment of this community, with the Home Office’s own Equality Impact Assessment acknowledging the risk that it poses. The Court of Appeal has now ruled that the scheme is unlawful on safety grounds. In my opinion, this scheme is not only unethical, but is also unworkable and unaffordable – it fails to act as a credible deterrent.

I oppose this Act as a whole. I believe it is profoundly flawed, counterproductive and will take a sledgehammer to our asylum system. Following 13 years of mismanagement, we are facing a crisis – but I do not believe that this Act is the solution. I am concerned it will only make the chaos worse. I want to see a firm and fairly managed migration system, with new agreements with France and other countries on returns, family reunions and reforming resettlement. I also support tackling the need for migration through humanitarian assistance.

Thank you once again to all who have contacted me about this issue.