International Desk: The UK’s Liberal Democrats, or LibDems, have rejected the Conservative Party government’s Small Boats Legislation Migration Bill and demanded its repeal.
Earlier, in a motion brought up for debate at an emergency LibDem conference, the Liberal Democrats voted unanimously in person and online to reject the controversial bill and call for it to be repealed.
Referring to the proposed bill as the “Illegal Immigration Bill,” the Lib Dems say this bill means: People who came to the UK illegally will be prevented from settling in the country and will be subject to a permanent ban on their return to the UK.
Lib Dem sources say the Liberal Democrats believe ‘no person is illegal’ and refugees are welcome here. So their team offered a better alternative to the Tory government’s Small Boats Legislation Bill.
The Lib Dem motion called on the Tory government to scrap the bill, saying it would provide a safe and legal route for refugees from all countries to reach the UK, including providing an expanded, properly funded refugee resettlement scheme.
Alastair Carmichael, the Lib Dems’ home affairs spokesman and promoter of the motion, said: “We will oppose this harmful and dangerous legislation, and their party will fight this bill at all costs.
Meanwhile, on Monday night, March 27, London’s Liberal Democrats organized a protest rally at Lloyd George, Parliament Square, Westminster, to demand the repeal of the Small Boats Legislation Bill.
Speakers at the rally said the Tory government’s immigration bill was illegal and a violation of human rights. The Tory government’s slogan is “stop the boats” but the Lib Dems’ slogan at the next election is “get them out”.
Speaking at the rally were Liberal Democrat Leaders Monira Wilson MP, Sarah Olney MP, Hina Bokhari AM, Irinavon Wise, Edward Lucas, Antonio Chris Main, Johnny Singh, Nicholas, Julian, Mohammad Ahid Uddin, and others.
