Below is an article written by the Liberal Democrat for Seekers of Sanctuary (LD4SoS):
Liberal Democrats for Seekers of Sanctuary (LD4SoS) aims to stand up for those seeking sanctuary in our country and believes that they should be treated with compassion, humanity & dignity.
You can find out more about us on our website here or on our Facebook page here.
We applaud the work that ALDC is doing to secure more rights for asylum seekers & refugees and want to work more closely with you on these issues.
LD4SoS contribute to party policy by:
- Putting motions or amendments to Conference. At the Spring Conference 2021 we successfully proposed an amendment that humanitarian visas should be a key plank of the motion on Safe & Legal Routes to Save Lives making Liberal Democrats the first UK party to have a policy on humanitarian visas.
- Holding fringe meetings at Conference to debate key issues, share information and generate new policy ideas. Recent meetings have focused on the proposed Nationality & Immigration Bill and the issues faced by LBTQ+ individuals seeking sanctuary in the UK. We believe it is important that party policy is informed by people with lived experience and will increasingly be aiming to provide a platform at Conference for seekers of sanctuary.
LD4SoS support Parliamentarians by:
- Providing briefings and working with them secure changes to asylum & immigration legislation including supporting LD Peers campaigning for improvements in respect of Family Reunion.
- Ensuring they are aware of key developments and can ask challenging questions in Parliament; the new Detention Centre for women at Hassockfield was first flagged up by an LDSoS member.
Campaigning:
- Like ALDC we believe that seekers of sanctuary should have the right to work as soon as possible. We have supported the Lift the Ban Coalition.
- Working with other organisations such as Detention Forum on campaigns such as a time limit on detention
- Our current priority is campaigning with other organisations e.g., Together with Refugees to secure changes to Nationality & Borders Bill
Raising Awareness:
- Our website includes policy papers; we post regularly on Facebook and produce newsletters providing updates on policy developments and campaigns.
Working Together:
ALDC and LD4SoS share the same aim. We want to ensure that seekers of sanctuary are welcomed in Britain. We believe that:
We can work together by:
- Campaigning together – particularly on amendments to the Nationality & Borders Bill. LD4SoS can provide briefing materials which Lib Dem councils could use to support these amendments.
- Engaging party membership and local communities on these issues so they are empowered to welcome and support seekers of sanctuary. LD4SoS could provide background information to support any communications ADLC members are doing.
- Supporting seekers to sanctuary to be integrated locally. Many of them want to volunteer in order to have some fulfilling activity, combat anxiety, develop and retain skills. This is something Lib Dem councillors can promote. Some of them may want to volunteer for the party (and strengthen its diversity) and working together we can also create routes for them to meet local activists.
- Sharing information and celebrating what Lib Dem Councillors are doing – the LD4SoS website recently posted an item about Winchester City Council’s commitment to welcoming refugees.
- Holding joint meetings e.g., at Conference where we can debate issues together and agree on plans of action that can be implemented both locally and nationally.
If you would like to join LD4SoS please contact Chris Brett, our membership secretary, at ld4SoS5@gmail.com or download a membership/supporter form from the website.