Members of Hay Brecon and Talgarth Sanctuary for Refugees (HBTSR) were at Hay Market last week to promote two key amendments to a controversial bill.

The Nationality and Borders Bill dubbed the ‘Anti-Refugee Bill’ by critics, is act of the UK Parliament relating to immigration, asylum and the UK’s modern slavery response.

The Bill, which is currently being assessed in the House of Lords, has been the subject fierce criticism since it was proposed in July last year.

As part of an ongoing collaboration with ‘Together with Refugees’ , HBTSR representatives set up a stall in Hay-on-Wye on Thursday, February 10, with the aim to ensure that people visiting the market were aware of the Bill and its details.

The two key cross-party House of Lords amendments to the Nationality and Borders Bill the charity and many others are promoting are:

● The removal of Clause 11 which would permit the Home Office to treat refugees differently based on how they arrived into the UK.

● The introduction of a new and safe route by setting an ambitious but deliverable target to resettle 10,000 of the world’s most vulnerable refugees a year.

Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, Jane Dodds MS joined volunteers at the stall.
Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, Jane Dodds MS joined volunteers at the stall. (HBTSR)

Secretary of HBTSR Ailsa Dunn explained that they wanted to discuss why we all should be worried about this Bill and to share some of the main concerns.

She said: “We found everyone who visited the stall was keen to sign our request to our MP to reconsider her support for the bill.

“We also were given £217 in donations with many people thanking us for drawing their attention to the details of the Bill.

“If passed into law, the Nationality and Borders Bill will deny many refugees the chance to seek sanctuary in the UK, criminalise many of those who do try, isolate refugees in harmful out-of-town institutions, and undermine 70 years of international co-operation under the UN refugee convention.

“Many consider the Bill as being inhumane, expensive, unworkable and risks eroding our international standing.

Ailsa added: “Please join our call for a kinder, more humane approach to refugees – so they can seek safety in the UK, rebuild their lives and make a valuable contribution to their new communities. You can let your MP know of your thoughts they can be represented when the bill returns to the Commons in March.”

For further information about the work of HBTSR, visit hbtsr.cityofsanctuary.org/