Meeting of the Parliament 26 June 2025
Absolutely. I thank Paul Sweeney for raising that. Let us remember that many trafficked victims are forced into criminal activity and, by virtue of being trafficked, they are much more likely to have a criminal record.
Section 29 of the 2023 act makes it more difficult for such victims to come forward and seek help, which could force them further underground, where they could continue to be exploited, could be re-trafficked or worse. We know that, when trafficked victims are removed from the UK, they face a high risk of being re-trafficked and could end up in exactly the same situation.
I am grateful to the Scottish Refugee Council for its meticulous work on the ramifications of the bill. I really wish that we could repeal the entire Illegal Migration Act 2023—one day soon, I hope that we will.
I note that Stephen Kerr seems not to like the fact that the right to seek asylum is enshrined in article 14 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and elaborated on in the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees—it is clear that his party does not like human rights for many people at all. However, there are few, if any, so-called legal routes to get to the UK for refugees and asylum seekers from parts of the world that continue to suffer the consequences of imperialism, uneven development and climate breakdown. I wonder how some people justify the differential treatment that the UK has shown to Ukrainians compared to Yemenis or Palestinians.
If people really want to stop the boats, let us arrange safe and secure routes and crossings for asylum seekers, as we should do under our international and moral obligations. I am proud to be in a party that believes that we should welcome refugees and asylum seekers and that we should offer them the dignity of safety and sanctuary. That is our duty.
15:26