Indefinite Leave to Remain Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateDepartment: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Martin Wrigley
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Indefinite Leave to Remain
Martin Wrigley Excerpts(3 weeks, 1 day ago)
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Martin Wrigley (Newton Abbot) (LD)
Does the hon. Member agree that the Ukrainian situation is similar to the Hong Kong situation? People on Homes for Ukraine visas have now been here for more than four years. We should be considering including them in the five-year period for leave to remain in this country.
Ben Goldsborough
I thank the hon. Member for his intervention. I know that the Minister will have been listening to his point.
When Hongkongers tell us that they are worried about the direction of travel, we must listen, because they have already lived it. They know what it means when promises are broken; they know what it means when the state decides to rewrite the rules halfway through the journey. That is why this debate is not just about visa terms. It is about trust and about whether Britain will stand by its word.
We in this country have always had a proud tradition of standing up to international bullies. When others looked away, Britain was often prepared to say, “No, this is not right. We will not let you trample over your people.” That tradition is written into our history, from our stance against fascism in Europe to our support for democratic movements across the world. The BNO scheme is part of that tradition. It told the people of Hong Kong, “You are not alone. Britain will stand with you.”