James Brokenshire, the UK's Immigration Minister has defended the decision to drastically cut the allowance for asylum seekers in order to prevent them from attempting to come to Britain in the first place, by reinforcing the idea that it is not the "land of milk and honey".
Adopting increasingly aggressive rhetoric on immigration and implementing more militant immigration policies, the Home Office has decided that payments paid at the level of $11.71 (£7.50) a day to asylum seeking families with children in supermarket vouchers to buy food and toiletries, meant they were "receiving significantly more cash that is necessary to meet their essential living needs."
Oh no, look at all those asylum seekers pouring into the UK! #calais #calaismigrants #calaiscrisis pic.twitter.com/6q1ilVe3Vj
— James Brown (@Politicub) August 10, 2015
A decision which has been widely condemned by the UK's refugee sector.
The British Red Cross, Children's Society, Refugee Action and Refugee Council say it "will make it near-impossible for families to meet their essential living needs."
"These cruel cuts will plunge families into further poverty, making it agonizingly tough for parents to feed their children, and practically impossible to buy clothes and other essential items."
Meanwhile, MPs are in line for a ten percent pay rise, taking their earnings to more than $115,000 (£74,000) a year — it means they will earn $11,000 (£7,000) more per annum.
Does UK accept more asylum seekers than other countries?: http://t.co/L9znmWZTmX by @sally_wardle and @ian_a_jones pic.twitter.com/oxQzvliGuG
— Press Association (@PA) August 3, 2015
But children seeking asylum in Britain will have their allowance reduced from $11.71 (£7.50) a day to $8.12 (£5.20) a day.
Our thoughts are with everyone going to the #ShutYarlsWood demo today. Seeking asylum is a human right, not a crime.
— Refugee Council (@refugeecouncil) August 8, 2015
Dr Lisa Doyle, Head of Advocacy at Refugee Council said:
"While MPs are to be awarded a significant pay rise, the Government has simultaneously pulled the rug from underneath vulnerable children and families who have fled unimaginable horrors.
"It's utterly abhorrent that the Government has chosen to put people's health and well-being at risk by making them even poorer."
