Migrant Voice

How rightwing rhetoric has risen sharply in the UK parliament – an exclusive visual analysis In the past five years, MPs’ attitudes in the House of Commons towards immigration have swung harder to the right than at almost any other time in the last century

There has been a huge increase in hostile, and misleading, political rhetoric against migrants from politicians across parties. The toxic nature of this creates division and emboldens racism, putting migrants at further risk. It must be confronted and condemned.
www.theguardian.com/politics/ng-...

The comments by Jim Ratcliffe are not only offensive and harmful but blatantly incorrect, and will stir further hate and division. Working with organisations such as Show Racism the Red Card, Migrant Voice has – as part of the -"Migration. Making Britain Great" campaign -highlighted that the diversity of the Premier League, and migrants playing in it, is a strength that is reflected in Britain's communities. Immigration doesn't undermine a country's character; it enhances it. British culture, including football, is based on migration, on adapting and evolving to new ideas. That is something to be celebrated, not condemned. Nazek Ramadan Director, Migrant Voice

Our Director, Nazek Ramadan, speaks out about Jim Ratcliffe's racist and divisive comments.

"Immigration doesn’t undermine a country’s character; it enhances it. British culture, including football, is based on migration, on adapting and evolving to new ideas."

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

Earned Settlement: A Cruel Betrayal of Migrants and the Promise… Earned Settlement: A Cruel Betrayal of Migrants and the Promise of Belonging

"This reform [earned settlement] risks not only the wellbeing of migrant communities, but the fabric of British society. A system that rents belonging rather than grants it corrodes trust, weakens families and devalues people based on narrow definitions of worth"
www.migrantvoice.org/home/editori...

Earned settlement consultation closes today. If you haven't completed it already please do, and tell this government that migrants should not be treated as second class and magic money trees.
These proposals will destroy lives, and push more people into poverty. Make your voice heard and oppose them

Our statement: 'It is a 'bold", by which we mean offensive, move for the co-owner of Manchester United to state such blatantly racist and incorrect information about migrants. The Premier League is a wonderful example of how diversity and immigration can bring strengths and benefits to wider groups. The same is true of immigration as a whole. We are stronger together than divided. We are stronger when we don't discriminate. When we come to the UK we integrate, we form bonds, we are part of communities. Those spreading racism and hate want to see communities divided, but we know that more people stand united" With screenshot from Sky News saying: "'UK has been colonised by immigrants', says INEOS boss and Man Utd co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe In an interview with Sky News's Ed Conway, Sir Jim says Britain faces profound political, social and economic challenges, among them an unprecedented rise in immigration in recent years."

The Premier League is a perfect example of how diversity and immigration can make us stronger.
We are disappointed to see unfounded, and untrue, statements like this being repeated.
Rather than spreading misinformation about migrants we should all stand united.

UK: Charities reject government proposal to make volunteering prerequisite to migrant settlement The majority of UK charities say they oppose government plans to make volunteering a prerequisite to long-term settlement in the UK. This runs counter to plans that were proposed by the UK government ...

Reality of Home Secretary's proposals are that migrants will be forced to "prove themselves" in ways no-one else would accept, while being treated as second class and magic money trees.
"Mandatory volunteering" goes against the very principle of volunteering.
www.infomigrants.net/en/post/6976...

🚨Earned settlement consultation ends Thursday🚨
Proposed changes risk pushing hundreds of thousands of children into poverty and destroying lives.
We have created guidance on how to tell the government we need a genuinely fairer system.
www.migrantvoice.org/img/upload/J...

www.gov.uk/government/c...

300,000 children face 10-year wait for settled status under UK plans, says IPPR Thinktank analysis says proposed ‘earned settlement’ changes could trap families in prolonged insecurity

Proposed changes to the immigration system will force hundreds of thousands of children, along with adults, into even more precarious situations.
Existing ten year routes are already shown to increase deprivation and poverty. These policies will destroy lives.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

Shabana Mahmood defends immigration reforms amid Labour opposition Around 40 Labour MPs have raised concerns about the impact of the government's proposals.

The proposed changes to immigration rules would be devastating, not just for migrants but also the whole country. They risk creating an entirely unworkable and discriminatory system which would push even more migrants into destitution and undermine whole sectors.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

If you want practical support for answering the consultation, we together with a host of other orgs ( @migrantvoice.bsky.social, @ramfel.bsky.social, @ilpaimmigration.bsky.social @migrantsrights.bsky.social) prepared a guide to help you prepare your responses👉 reunitefamiliesuk.co.uk/wp-content/u...

Attendees and trainers for today's session on public speaking training

It has been an absolute pleasure to team up with @care4calais.org today to provide training on public speaking. It is so important that migrants are able to ensure that our voices are heard, and listened to

Spain plans to give 500,000 undocumented migrants legal status The process will be available to foreign nationals without a criminal record who can prove they lived in Spain for five months prior to 31 December 2025.

We're seeing a dramatic increase in immigration enforcement in the UK. While it may not have same attention as ICE raids in UK, it still sees families ripped apart and vulnerable people detained. Spain shows regularisation for undocumented migrants is a better option.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Glasgow network meeting on Hate Crime Migrant Voice invites you to our next network meeting in Glasgow on Wednesday 4 February from 6-8pm to follow up on our October discussions on hate crime.

On 4th February Migrant Voice is hosting a meeting to address issues of hate crime in Glasgow.
This meeting will be an opportunity to hear from the police and local authorities about their response to our recommendations on what they can support our communities.
www.migrantvoice.org/whats-on/gla...

Participants sitting at our session in Birmingham

We are delighted to be in Birmingham today organising two workshops together with the university of Westminster for refugees and asylum seekers to share their views on settling up a refugee archive.

Earned settlement The government is consulting on how the current settlement system should be reformed and how those reforms should be implemented.

We already see the harm current settlement routes can cause individuals, including mental and physical health issues, destitution and separation from families. All issues liable to increase under the current proposals.
Please complete the consultation if you are able. 2/2
www.gov.uk/government/c...

The government's "earned settlement consultation" into proposed changes for migrants wanting to settle in the UK ends on February 12th. Together with a number of other organisations, we have created some guidance for possible ways to complete the questions. 1/2
www.migrantvoice.org/img/upload/J...

Response to 2024 summer riots failed to address root causes and links to racism, report says Institute of Race Relations says violence in Southport and elsewhere often reduced to ‘mindless’ thuggery

Following the 2024 riots we held meetings across the country for people to talk about their experiences. The fear which marginalised communities faced was clear, as was the need for better understanding to tackle hate crime, which still does not exist.

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

Exclusion by Design: Digital Identification and the Hostile Environment for… Together with Derya Ozkul (University of Warwick) and Marie Godin (University of Leicester) and Open Rights Group, Migrant Voice have produced the report ‘Exclusion by Design: Digital Identification a...

With this government reportedly rethinking plans to introduce digital id to check for the right to work, through our work on this report we helped identify a number of issues with the existing digital immigration system, and the exclusion it creates.

www.migrantvoice.org/resources/re...

Two-thirds of UK voters wrongly think immigration is rising, poll finds Exclusive: Voters say they have little confidence that government can control borders despite sharp falls in net migration

Continued hostile rhetoric, and policies, from politicians and in the media creates severe misconceptions surrounding immigration, which often overlook not just the facts surrounding it, but also the experiences of migrants.

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

🚨Support Migrant Voice today and ensure diverse voices are heard🚨
Migrants are part of communities. We work and live alongside everyone. Together we help make the UK stronger.
Even so our voices are ignored time and time again.
📣Donate today to help get us heard.

www.gofundme.com/f/help-comba...

This evening’s panel discussion is ‘Hope out of Hostility- shifting the narrative’ with speakers Mihnea Cuibus, Migration Observatory, Bekele Woyecha, Together with Refugees, Sara Shamsavari, artist and lecturer, Jennifer Ariowa Obaseki, Centre for Youths Integrated Development

Dr Aanka Batta reads her poetry and Sylars inspires with a musical performance

Performances continue at our International Migrants Day celebration together with Centre for Youths Integrated Development.
Musical Performances by Ajidans, and Kaybams, which got everyone dancing and poetry reading by Teresa from Together in the UK and Jean-Marc Hall

The workshop this afternoon ‘Heritage Education as a Foundation for Tolerance and Mutual Respect’ shares ideas for how we can tell our stories to share our heritage and culture

As part of our opening ceremony, we hear a performance by Kaybams - Kayode Bamgbose - African drumming, storytelling and singing to get the celebrations going.

Migrant Voice Trustee 𝐑𝐚𝐟𝐚𝐞𝐥 dos Santos welcomes everyone to the event together with Migrant Voice Director Nazek Ramadan, and CYID Director Aihawu Victor who invites us all to celebrate. ‘This is our day. We are celebrating who we are, we are proud of who we are.’

Today is #internationalMigrantsDay and we celebrate today in London as part of the Cultural Hangout Festival 2025 organised together with Centre for Youths Integrated Development (CYID). Our event is opened by 𝐑𝐚𝐟𝐚𝐞𝐥 dos Santos, Migrant Voice Trustee who welcomes everyone to the event

We screen for the first time a documentary about the project, sharing the story of the discussions and exploration of our stories, the training, curation and community collaboration that led to the many heritage exhibitions launched during the project followed by speeches from Hope, Julita & Ali.

Marzanna, our Glasgow Network Coordinator, shared moments from the Putting Ourselves in the Picture project and all its achievements - thanking participants for all the stories and voices that are now part of the legacy of the project.

Sofi Taylor, trustee of Migrant Voice and Anne Stoltenberg, Head of Development opened the event thanking our partners, Glasgow Museums, our funders, the National Lottery Heritage Fund, & all those who engaged with the project over the 3 years making it an incredible journey and strong community