Manchester groups unite to show 'solidarity' with refugees and migrants

Over thirty charities and groups across Greater Manchester including homelessness charities, LGBT+ support groups, cultural institutions and faith groups have added their names to a pledge to work together to combat “the politics of division” and declare the UK an "island of solidarity". The statement, coordinated by Asylum Matters, comes in the wake of a controversial Government White Paper on migration and comments by Keir Starmer that the UK risks ‘becoming an island of strangers’, and was signed by over fifty organisations and groups in the North West and hundreds of grassroots refugee and asylum seeker support groups from across the UK.

As well as condemning what they called “the recent rhetoric of the Prime Minister, irresponsible politicians and that of the far-right”, signatories committed to working together to “build a movement of solidarity and resistance that protects and defends the rights of all people who are suffering as a result of racism, poverty and homelessness”.

Signatories in GM include groups and organisations working to train migrants to work in the NHS, to build links between cultural institutions and people seeking safety, to combat homelessness and destitution across Greater Manchester and to give legal support and advice.

They spoke about the impact of the new policies announced in the white paper, which included increasing the time people have to wait to become citizens from five to 10 years' residence, as well as the language used by politicians to talk about immigration, including the Prime Minister calling an increase in migration a "squalid chapter for our politics".

Amanda Shah, policy lead at Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit, who provide legal advice, representation and support to people subject to immigration control, said: “The White Paper could have been an opportunity to reset the national conversation on migration and community after years of harmful, unworkable policies and the damage of last year’s riots. Instead, the government’s rhetoric pushed people in communities like ours in Greater Manchester under the bus. They characterised us as strangers – that is not who we are here. We stand up for each other and look out for our neighbours especially when they are being put down by government. We’ve done it before and we’ll do it again. We are a community in solidarity.”

Will Wheeler, Partnership Lead for Greater Manchester’s Migrant Destitution Fund, said local organisations had gathered in the wake of the speech and show "solidarity, care and hope".

He said: "Hostility manufactured by policy and language does its best to dehumanise, alienate, divide – to turn us into strangers. We refuse to allow this. We are committed to building an island of compassion, unconditional solidarity, kindness and friendship, our lives and communities enriched by our connections with one another.”

Dr Aisha Awan is the director of REACHE Northwest, a project that works to train doctors and nurses seeking safety in the UK to return to clinical work within the NHS. She said the organisation’s work illustrated the incredible contribution people seeking sanctuary have made in Greater Manchester, contrasting with the negative picture of newcomers painted by some politicians, saying: “23 years in, REACHE has continued to provide communication skills training, clinical education and a placements programme for refugee and asylum seeker doctors and nurses to return to their careers in the NHS. As a result, 323 REACHE doctors have joined the NHS workforce and are dedicating their professional lives to caring for GM residents.”

Julia Savage, campaigns manager for Asylum Matters, added “It comes as no surprise that so many groups in Greater Manchester have taken a stand here: the ‘island of strangers’ comment wasn’t an isolated incident but part of a rising tide of rhetoric across the political spectrum seeking to create divisions between friends, family, neighbours and colleagues. We won’t stand by - we know exactly who we are here - and we look after each other.”