New: Labour is inviting "open border activists" to sponsor refugees to move to the UK, critics have declared.
The Home Office insisted voluntary organisations allowed to apply, from today, to sponsor arrivals must be “a UK registered charity” and have a “good reputation”, with the ability to provide accommodation.
Under the new controversial safe and legal route, community groups will be able to sponsor people to move to the UK. This includes charities, universities, faith groups and businesses.
Refugees who have sought protection in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Malaysia, Egypt, Uganda and Kenya will be eligible to move to the UK once security checks are completed, according to new Home Office guidance. They must also be registered with the UNHCR.
But critics highlighted the huge number of Afghans currently residing in Pakistan, with more than 730,000 registered refugees, as an example of how the scheme could spiral out of control.
@migrationCtrl warns: “The Home Secretary has given a motivated cabal of open border activist groups, masquerading as charities, the right to bring migrants to Britain.”