This blog is Part 2 of the series 'Medieval to Modern UK Immigration'. In Part 1 (Who belongs here?), we saw how immigration to Britain over the centuries has often been determined by the much wider geo-political headwinds and violent power struggles which categorise people’s usefulness along dividing lines of allegiance and religion. Throughout history, public narratives around migration have broadly oscillated between immigrants’ utility or the ‘inherent threat’ they pose.

This blog is Part 1 of the series 'Medieval to Modern UK Immigration'. Over the centuries, immigration to the UK and associated laws have ebbed and flowed. But as we’ll see from this first account, this ‘island nation’ has always been significantly impacted by global events. Powerful forces have frequently fought one another over a land from which they did not originate. This fraught history reinforces a compelling binary of ‘subjugate or be subjugated’. As well as power and

Restrictive immigration and asylum policies are already in place in the UK and are likely to intensify over the next 10 years. Far from waiting for the next general election to usher in policies which are openly hostile to refugees and migrants, they are already here. We are living with the legacy of the hostile environment policies of the last 15 years, not to mention new ones in the last 2 years. Regardless of whether or not the politicians and parties advancing such polici

I have dedicated my working life to advancing migrant and racial justice. The more I learnt from my critical discourse analysis of Tory immigration policy between 2016 and 2023, the more unsettled I became about my own approach and contribution to discourse around migration and refugees. My research revealed that the UK government’s use of the Border Spectacle obfuscated government responsibility, was being used to distract from domestic failures and criminalised migrants, in

I’ve recently been reflecting on government funding for refugee and migrant charities. When charitable organisations become engaged in the responsibilities of government (by taking on government contracts and/or receiving government funds), they become part of a nation’s wider governance structures. The UK’s refugee & migrant sector is no different, and, particularly since the Syrian resettlement scheme, government funding for refugee & migrant work has been more ubiquitous a

Asylum ‘hotels’ are bad for everyone. And the reason we’re in this mess in the first place is decades of neglectful under-investment in the forms of accommodation needed by everyone across the UK. This is the responsibility of successive governments of every colour. 14 years of Tory administration has compounded this through a massively under-resourced asylum system, leading to huge delays and a backlog entirely of their own making. The Tory government tried to contain people

The UK-France agreement on Channel crossings is Starmer’s first real foray into new policy on irregular migration. Here’s a summary and some commentary from a migration policy perspective: Populist approach Labour continue their awkward dance on terminology around migration, flirting with both ‘irregular’ and ‘illegal’ (could this be part of a plan to gradually phase out illegalisation framing?). However, it’s notable that Starmer’s spoken statements tend to just use ‘illega

Through my PhD research on UK irregular migration policy, I’ve started to explore the world of policy studies. Rather than analysing a particular policy’s impact, policy studies examines how policy is formed, travels and lands. What follows is an overview of my reading on this subject so far. From Transfer to Translation Traditionally, policy studies has approached policymaking as ‘transfer’, reminiscent of a neat production line with a pre-defined start and end point, a clea

In this brief case study, I'm interested in the interaction between gendered structural violence, gender roles and actual violence in...

UK immigration policy is frequently little more than grandstanding performance art with the goal of consolidating power (also known as...

I love the voluntary sector and have worked in it for over 20 years, starting as a volunteer and helping to co-found a charity in the North East. As I was starting out, one of the best pieces of advice I received was that you can’t just ‘go after need’ (because the need will always be far greater than we are able to meet ourselves). Because of this, it’s crucial to have a more considered, strategic approach that asks: What do we believe is important? Why do we believe that?

Following on from Humanitarian Career Advice (Part 1) , here are some further things to consider if you’re starting your career in the UK humanitarian sector (or would like to): ( Need help with taking your next steps in the UK humanitarian sector? - I provide career coaching ). Get Involved Which organisations could you get involved with now to maximise future opportunities? Could you become a supporter, join in with events, volunteer? What are you good at that could add v

Labour are nearly in charge. But what will they do about immigration? Will they learn the lessons from their last stint in government...

I was recently asked by an ex-colleague for some tips on how to lead a team. Over 20 years I’ve led many diverse, cross-cultural teams of varying sizes, often collaborating with experts by experience. I’ve led refugee & migrant programmes, and housing & homelessness services. I’ve worked with volunteers on grassroots initiatives and delivered national programmes through multi-agency partnerships. I think being a good team leader is mainly about; Relationship, Wellbeing & Co

The following is a summary of ‘Myth 22: Climate change will lead to mass migration’ from ‘How migration really works’ by the brilliant...

I’ve been reflecting on my career path to date and I thought it might be helpful to share some quick thoughts for those just starting out in the UK humanitarian sector (or those who would like to). I’ve worked in the UK voluntary sector for 20 years, in the refugee & migrant sector, and the housing & homelessness sector, worked for large NGOs and volunteered with grassroots initiatives, in both national and local roles. Through years of frontline work and leading many teams,

Summary Whilst problematic, age assessment of asylum applicants claiming to be minors is crucial to ensure the welfare of children. The...

My research on UK irregular migration policy between 2016-2023 (‘Small Boats and Tall Tales: The Great British Border Spectacle and the...

On Monday 4th December, the UK Home Secretary, James Cleverly, announced a new 5-point plan to reduce net migration: Care workers will...

Networking is an ugly word.. More than that, I used to think networking itself was gross too. All smarmy schmoozing and fakery which, counterintuitively, was deeply unrelational. Not to mention that my hyper-sensitive hearing means that even the smallest amount of background noise makes it almost impossible for me to hear people.. And yet, with every passing year, I more and more appreciate meeting and speaking with others who are trying to make the world a better place. I