We can’t turn them away - MP’s response
Following the letter-writing campaign to highlight the moral obligations we owe to those Iraqis who have worked for the coalition and now face reprisals, I received the following from my MP, Celia Barlow:
By supporting our efforts in southern Iraq, those Iraqis are taking a tremendous risk for themselves and their families.
I agree that we have an obligation to protect Iraqis under threat for supporting the coalition’s efforts to restore order. It is incumbent upon the Government to look at different ways for this to happen, such as studying the US model or discussing this issue with our coalition partners. I welcome your input on this issue and hope to hear a positive outcome for the brave Iraqis contributing to our efforts soon.
So, while good to get a reply, it amounted to little more than a ‘thanks, let’s wait and see’. I think a follow up asking her to refer my letter to the Home Secretary might be in order. Much as Patricia Hewitt did for one of her constituents. Or maybe I should ask for a referral to the Foreign Secretary much as David Lammy did for Davide. Dan Hardie has more.
This is from the Times today:
The Times has learnt that the Government has ignored personal appeals from senior army officers in Basra to relax asylum regulations and make special arrangements for Iraqis whose loyal services have put their lives at risk.
One interpreter, who has worked with the Army since 2004 and wanted to start a new life in Britain after British Forces pull out was told by Downing Street that he would receive no special favours and to read a government website.
If you wrote a letter to your MP and received a reply post it on your blog (or if you don’t have a blog let me know and I can post it for you if you like) and let me know and I’ll link back to as many as I can find. There’s still ample opportunity to write a letter if you haven’t already - some guidelines are here - and a letter can be sent online using Write To Them. (Update: It’s worth stressing the urgency of this situation when writing your letter - these people are being tortured and murdered right now.)
Also, please sign the Downing Street petition. There’s also a Facebook group.
Responses so far:
Conservatives (1):
Anne Milton
Labour (9):
Celia Barlow
Hugh Bayley
Wayne David
Frank Dobson
Patricia Hewitt
David Lammy
Andrew Smith
Dr Rudi Vis
Paul Truswell (via Ian Clenshaw)
Lib Dems (2):
John Barrett
Robert Smith
Posted on August 7th, 2007 at 9:42 am
I got a reply from mine, Frank Dobson, he seemed to agree but also said basically if the invasion had never happened this situation wouldn’t have happened.
More importantly he said he’ll write to the Foreign Secretary and write back to me with any reply…
Let us know when he replies, Leon.
I wrote to Frank Dobson yesterday.
It will be interesting to see if he has composed a standard reply.
However, he does seem to be taking some action.
There is going to be a debate about the situation on Radio 2 at 12.00 today (the Jeremy Vine show.)
One more reply to add to the list. A very nice guy called John McManus emailed me to say he’d written to Andrew Smith MP (Labour, Oxford East), and got this short but actually positive reply:
‘Dear John,
Thanks very much for your message via my website. I am very sympathetic to the points you make, and have already asked a Parliamentary Question myself on the position of Iraqi interpreters.
I have taken up your representations with the Home Secretary, and will let you know as soon as I receive a reply.
Best wishes
Andrew Smith MP’
Very good. Added.
I also strongly second Justin’s advice: anyone getting what looks like a holding reply from an MP is requested to *politely* ask the MP to refer the matter to the Home Office and if possible also the Foreign Office, making reference to the urgency of the situation since translators and other support staff have already been murdered in Basra.
The Home Office appears to be the current lead agency on this matter, but it really can’t hurt at all if they start hearing from the FCO on the subject.
My new MP (Robert Smith - Lib Dem) sent a short letter saying he’d pass on my concerns to the H.O. and forward the reply.
My MP, Dr Rudi Vis (Lab), has forwarded my email to the Home Secretary.
[...] from their MPs, so we can list supporters of this campaign and those who don’t care. Chickyog has a list so far. If any of you received a reply, please post it below and I’ll update this post. Do sign the [...]
Will do.
Good point, we could compare letters to see how similar they are.
I must admit I did get the feeling he takes this seriously as he was critical of the war and the present situation…
Dobbo reverts!
not gonna publish it as it refers to a bit of other correspondence that we’d had in the past which is a bit personal to me, but basically good old Dobbo - he is going to give it a go with the FO, reminds us that he opposed the war from day one, reminds me that he does not exactly have the juice these days. I’ll put a note to this effect on my blog.
Peter Sanderson at Earthquake Cove (http://earthquakecove.blogspot.com/ ) got a pretty awful response from Labour ultra-loyalist Hugh Bayley (City of York) and sent a reply, which I recommend as a model of courteous yet determined disagreement. And for Christ’s sake NOBODY send MPs any rude letters or emails- if we do that we’re sunk.
‘Dear Mr Bayley,
Thank you for your reply of 27th July, responding to my letter about granting asylum for Iraqis who have worked for the British forces.
Given the security situation in Iraq, it simply is not practical for an Iraqi asylum seeker to make their way to the UK and present themselves for asylum when they get here.
The resettlement scheme you mention is, I believe, for long-term refugees languishing in refugee camps - not for people with a recent reason to flee their country.
Would you agree that the only way to offer effective protection to those Iraqi employees in need of asylum is to process their claims in Iraq? We have a clear and direct obligation to these people, and our existing asylum system simply is not set up for such cases.’
Bayley’s original letter is below.
‘Thank you for your email dated 23 July regarding Iraqis who have assisted the British armed forces in Iraq.
Applications by asylum seekers are dealt with on an individual basis and there is a resettlement scheme. The majority of asylum claims from Iraq come from Iraqis already living in the UK, but people can present themselves as having worked for the UNited Kingdom and, providing their other circumstances mean they would qualify for refugee status, their application would be considered.
Yours sincerely
Over at Pickled Politics (http://www.pickledpolitics.com/archives/1298 ), a lady called Galloise Blonde says:
‘I got a response this morning from my MP (Wayne David, Caerphilly).
Dear GB
Thank you for your letter of 25 July regarding Iraqi citizens who have supported the British authorities in the South of Iraq
I understand your concern and I am aware that, only today, the issue has been highlighted in the national press. I have written to the Home Secretary to clarify exactly what the British Government’s position is.
As soon as I recieve a reply I shall contact you again.
Sincerely, etc.’
Cheers, Dan.
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I received a reply from Chris Mole, MP for Ipswich. He has written to Rt Hon Des Browne MP, Secetary of State at the Ministry of Defence and will send me his reply.
Cheers, Chris. I couldn’t find an email address on yr site, but feel free to email me at danhardie.blog@gmail.com if you want any updates on the campaign.
Everybody should watch this video by Tim Ireland: really, really superb. The widest possible circulation is called for:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=fRLZjMyCbSo
or
http://www.bloggerheads.com/archives/2007/08/you_know_the_dr.asp
[...] post of the last week: Justin McKeating has been keeping score of MPs’ replies. Very many thanks to Justin, to whom a lot is owed, especially by [...]
[...] Justin McKeating is keeping track of MPs responses here: http://www.chickyog.net/2007/08/07/we-can%e2%80%99t-turn-them-away-mps-response/ [...]
Add Lynn Featherstone to the positive responses, Justin. Sent a good letter.
[...] (10): Celia Barlow Hugh Bayley Wayne David Frank Dobson Patricia Hewitt David Lammy Chris Mole Andrew Smith Dr Rudi Vis Paul Truswell (via Ian [...]
I’ve received a receipt of the letter from my MP, Chris Mole to Rt Hon Des Browne MP, Secetary of State at the Ministry of Defence
[...] the banners; 2) Look up your MP. 3) Write to them. (draft letter) 4) Tell us about your MP’s response. There will be more updates to this campaign as we plan to make it bigger. This is not over yet. [...]
I just received a response from my MP, Ian Gibson (Lab)
“I am with you all the way There is a strong prospect of it being granted”
I received a reply from David Howarth (LibDem, Cambridge) saying:
The Liberal Democrats are calling for the Labour Government to grant asylum to Iraqis whose work for the British has put their lives in danger. The Labour Government’s approach is utterly unacceptable and morally unsustainable.
Hi Justin,
I’m not sure if you’ve already come across this response to Tim Aldrich from Sadiq Khan, Labour MP for Tooting.(Found via the Facebook group).