Letter to the Home Secretary from the Co-Chairs of the Waltham Forest Borough of Sanctuary
In response to the UK Government's Immigration White Paper, Cllr Grace Williams, Leader of Waltham Forest Council, and fellow Co-Chair of the Waltham Forest Borough of Sanctuary, Averil Pooten-Watan, have sent the following letter to the Home Secretary.
Our response
Dear Home Secretary,
We are writing to you about the Government’s recent Immigration white paper.
In Waltham Forest we are proud of our history as a place of welcome for people from all over the world who have made our borough their home - and of standing together for our shared values, against division and hate of any description.
Many of our ancestors and elders fought for Britain in the Second World War – regardless of whether they were Londoners or from the Commonwealth – and we celebrate that history with pride, including most recently on the 80th anniversary of VE Day. Over the years, we have stood strong against the threat of the far-right, including in August last year when our community came together in counter-protest.
We are a Borough of Sanctuary, which means that we value and celebrate the migrants, refugees and people seeking sanctuary who have settled in Waltham Forest. Diversity and migration in our borough has enriched our culture, bringing energy and talent to make a stronger borough for us all. We know our residents share our pride in diversity and multiculturalism. Together, public services, the voluntary and community sector and people with lived experience of migration have created a framework of welcome. This includes not only immediate support for those placed in hotels, but also longer-term opportunities such as skills development, volunteering, education, employment and housing – critical steps in promoting independence and integration in community life.
We agree that it is vital that there is a fair and effective system governing immigration which serves our country’s interests, one which has clear rules and where people cannot be exploited. However, we would remind you that communities like ours are on the sharp end of language which causes division and that recent public discourse on this issue has led to real fear and worry. Government must not abandon its commitment to the shared values that make British society great – internationalism, diversity, openness, generosity and respect. It is only by confronting the far-right with these values that we can continue to make progressive change which benefits us all and is the foundation of increasing prosperity. We urge the Government to reassure communities like ours, at the earliest possible opportunity.
Kind regards,
Cllr Grace Williams
Leader of Waltham Forest Council
Co-Chair of Waltham Forest Borough of Sanctuary
Averil Pooten-Watan
Waltham Forest Citizens and St. Barnabas
Co-Chair of Waltham Forest Borough of Sanctuary
More information
The white paper sets out the government's plans to create an immigration system which promotes growth but is controlled and managed.