Motion for new Palestinian visa scheme tabled in UK parliament

Independent MP, Afzal Khan, has introduced a motion in Parliament urging the UK government to "urgently establish" a visa scheme allowing Palestinians with family ties to the UK to enter the country. This move aims to address the ongoing humanitarian crisis and provide an opportunity for Palestinians affected by the conflict to reunite with their families in Britain.

This comes after UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that the government would seek to prevent Palestinian refugees from using the refugee scheme set up for Ukrainians to reside in the UK. Starmer emphasized that the Home Office would close a "legal loophole" that allowed a Palestinian refugee family from Gaza to stay in the UK, sparking discussions about the fairness of refugee policies.

This incident stems from a court ruling that allowed six Palestinians from Gaza (a couple and their four children) to remain in the UK under the Ukraine Family Scheme. The scheme was originally established for Ukrainian refugees fleeing the war following the Russian invasion. The opposition Conservative Party criticized the ruling, arguing that it "cannot be allowed to stand."

The Home Office warned that the legal ruling would "open the floodgates to all refugees in conflict zones with family in the UK." The Home Office initially rejected the Palestinian family's application in May last year, but in September, the Immigration Tribunal ruled in their favor. A spokesperson for the Gaza Family Reunification Campaign expressed relief at the family's victory but also highlighted the "unjust and arbitrary obstacles" preventing Gazan Palestinians from reuniting with relatives in the UK.

MP Afzal Khan stated that the government's actions were "shameful" and dismissed the Home Office's claim that the scheme would "open the floodgates." He argued that the same legal principles should apply to Ukrainians and Palestinians, and that Britain should continue its proud history as a haven for the persecuted. He also criticized the Labour Party for acting to appease the far right under the threat of the Reform Party.