On Monday 19 July, Stephen spoke in the debate following the Second Reading of the Nationality and Borders Bill.
Earlier in the year, the Government announced several proposed changes to the UK’s asylum system including differentiated treatment based on how an asylum seeker arrives in the UK, harsher sentences, and plans to hold asylum seekers in offshore hubs. The Government has introduced the Nationality and Borders Bill to implement these proposals.
Speaking in the House of Commons, Stephen urged MPs to vote against the Bill, arguing that it fails to fix the “broken system.” He spoke out against the Government’s plans to judge asylum cases based on the applicants’ routes to the UK and to process claims overseas.
Stephen also raised the increasing number of asylum processing delays in the Home Office, where the number of people waiting over a year for a decision has risen tenfold since 2010. He said “the current gross inefficiency helps nobody. I hope the House will reject this Bill.”
You can watch Stephen’s speech below.