Abstract
This transcript of a speech given to the UK’s Churches’ Refugee Network by a former barrister points up the ‘free world’s’ role in the creation of refugees and how globalisation now entrenches a new social Darwinism. Domestic policies increasingly restrict legal aid and increase detention and deportation for migrants and asylum seekers. Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the voluntary sector are being challenged by this new context and have to take a clear stand on human rights and build solidarity with the marginalised.
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References
1.Justice for All is a campaign for free legal advice, to ensure everyone is treated fairly under the law. A coalition of over 3,500 charities, legal and advice agencies, politicians, trade unions, community groups and members of the public, it holds that: ‘free, independent advice and representation on legal matters is essential to achieve justice for all’; see: http://www.justice-for-all.org.uk .
3.See Anne Singh and Frances Webber, ‘Excluding migrants from justice: the legal aid cuts’, IRR Briefing Paper No. 7, available at: http://www.irr.org.uk/pdf2/IRR_Briefing_No.7.pdf .
4.Available at: http://www.detainedlives.org .
5.R (Lumba), R (Mighty) v Secretary of State [2011] UKSC 121, R (SK Zimbabwe v Secretary of State [2011] UKSC 23, available at: http://www.supremecourt.gov.uk/index.html .
6.
7.Tim Finch and Myriam Cherti, No Easy Options: irregular immigration in the UK (London, IPPR, April 2011) .
8.Frances Webber and Jon Burnett, ‘IPPR: fuelling popular racism?’, IRR News (28 April 2011), available at: http://www.irr.org.uk/2011/april/ha000027.html .
9.The Living Wage campaign calls for every worker in the country to earn enough to provide their family with the essentials of life; see: http://www.citizensuk.org/campaigns/living-wage-campaign/ .