The xenophobia and racism of the UK’s Hostile Environment approach “shames us all” according to the Scottish Greens human rights spokesperson Maggie Chapman MSP.
Speaking in a debate to mark World Refugee Day, Ms Chapman condemned the UK Government’s “shabby” and “cynical” attempts “to buy its way out of its moral and legal responsibilities” and emphasised her hope that Scotland would “take up the duty and privilege so shamefully dropped by Downing Street.”
Following the debate, Scottish Green MSP Maggie Chapman said:
“The shabby, cynical attempt of the UK government to buy its way out of its moral and legal responsibilities is a new low, even by Boris Johnson’s standards.”
“A tiny proportion of the world’s refugees make the difficult and dangerous voyage to Britain.
“The UK government has deliberately failed to provide safe routes for them.
“Now, those forced to use unsafe ones are to be further punished, flown to Rwanda, thousands of miles from the support networks they struggled so hard to reach.”
“The xenophobia and racism embedded in the UK’s Hostile Environment approach shames us all.
“Scotland will, I believe, take up the duty and privilege so shamefully dropped by Downing Street.
“Scotland welcomes refugees.
“And so do I.”
