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Lord Goldsmith backs “the right to work” for people seeking asylum
In last week's report from Lord Goldsmith, he said that paid employment is essential to allow people seeking asylum to help themselves, British society and the UK economy. Lord Goldsmith, who had been asked to do the review by Gordon Brown, stopped short of saying outright that people refused asylum cannot work. Rather he called for a further "review of the policy in practice".
It is a tragic waste of the specialist skills of refugee health professionals (for example) that they are usually prevented from working. And at the other end of the spectrum there is a massive pool of people willing to do the 3D's (dirty, dangerous and demanding) work that many British people won't do.
Nevertheless it is useful that somebody of Lord Goldsmith's status and experience has partly recognised the plight of the thousands of people who cannot be forcibly removed because of serious safety issues, uncooperative governments, or unreliable travel routes.
CAP
sees his comments being part of the British values of “work for those who can;
support for those that can't”. His advocacy of this for people seeking asylum
is an opportunity for us all to use. With MPs and the Government.
The full report is viewable here.
