The hostile environment is creating a coronavirus crisis for Britain's migrants | Maya Goodfellow

Ireland and Portugal have acted to protect asylum seekers and migrants. The UK has made a political choice not to do soA week after Priti Patel stood in the House of Commons andissued an apology for the Windrush scandal, Abanda was trying to figure out how to survive during the Covid-19 pandemic. “I haven’t seen anything addressed to us,” she says. Abanda is a refused asylum seeker who advocates for migrant rights. “I don’t think we exist.”Days later, as part of a number of measures announced for migrants, the Home Officeextended support for some of those seeking asylum. Butthe standard financial assistance remainsunder £40 a week, less than half of the statutory sick pay. It ’s an amount ministersshould be asked if they could survive on, particularly when vital migrant services have had to to be scaled back.Continue reading...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - Category: Science Authors: Tags: Immigration and asylum UK news Politics Coronavirus outbreak Science World news Welfare Conservatives Priti Patel Source Type: news