Belka, one of our regular bloggers, went yesterday to the Scottish Parliament. He heard Anne McLaughlin MSP ask the First Minister what the impact on local communities across Scotland would be of the decision by the United Kingdom Border Agency to cancel its housing contract with Glasgow City Council. This is his report.
Many asylum seeker support organisations and pupils from Glasgow’s Lourdes Secondary School went yesterday to the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh for the First Minister’s questions.
The pupils handed in a petition with one thousand signatures from pupils offering their full support to the asylum seeking families who have been living in uncertainty since 5 November. On this day, the UK Border Agency sent an inhuman letter to 600 asylum seeking families around Glasgow who are housed by Glasgow City Council. Some of them have been in their communities for several years.
First Minister support
During his question time, the First Minister Alex Salmond was shocked by the UK Border Agency’s decision to cancel their housing contract with Glasgow City Council. But he will do all he can in his power to raise awareness to UK Border Agency that asylum seekers and their families are still welcome in Glasgow.
MSPs such as Anne McLaughlin and Christina McKelvie all offered their support to the families.
Watch short films of MSPs Anne McLaughlin, Christina McKelvie and Hugh O’Donnell offer words of support to those asylum seeking families who received the letter.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8cN9vSsn1k
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-x72Ae8sCo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPgysZFFTHw
More information
Please note: Information for people who are unsure about their accommodation is available in our advice section. This will be updated as and when we receive further information from the UK Border Agency.
