2 April 2019
It’s official: The UK is closed for new business
In his introduction to the recent White Paper on the future UK immigration system, the Home Secretary Sajid Javid promised a new system that welcomes talent “from every corner of the globe and demonstrates the United Kingdom is open for business.” The UK’s first changes to the Immigration Rules since the publication of the White Paper came into force on 29 March. Sadly, these rules clearly show that the UK has a long way to go to fulfilling that promise of being open for business.
18 January 2019
Shutdowns and Brexit Omnishambles – how fear of immigration has brought us to a standstill
It is January 2019 and I am a dual British-American citizen witnessing the complete paralysis of both of my countries’ governments, one in partial shutdown and the other unable to break the deadlock Brexit has wrought.
17 December 2018
Deal or no deal: what Brexit could mean for my German mother
With less than four months to go until the UK leaves the European Union (EU), we still don’t know what deal, if any, the UK will have with the EU. A big part of that deal relates to securing the rights of the more than 3 million EEA citizens living in the UK. While the Government has confirmed their intention to roll out the proposed Settled Status scheme regardless as to whether the withdrawal agreement is approved, those seeking greater certainty about their status and who are eligible, are looking to naturalise as British citizens. For some Europeans, the decision to naturalise is a simple one. For others, it may mean giving up their existing nationality.
14 December 2018
Pigs in blankets shortage - how Brexit is threatening to ruin Christmas lunch
Following my blog about labour shortages in the agricultural industry, the government has now announced that it will be launching a “seasonal workers” visa pilot scheme. The aim of this visa is to enable fruit and vegetable farmers to employ non-EU workers for seasonal work, for up to 6 months at a time. But has the Government overlooked a crucial issue by limiting this new visa to horticulture workers?
12 October 2018
Black History Month: time to celebrate but also to remember
October marks Black History Month which means we should be celebrating and recognising the contributions that people of colour have made to the UK and elsewhere in the world.
