‘An audience of self-proclaimed Tory voters declined to support home secretary Suella Braverman’s Rwanda plan’

• THE Rwanda plan, which would have seen people deprived of the right to claim asylum in the United Kingdom, has been defeated in the courts – a huge victory for the campaigning by thousands of people around the country.

But women in our group in Camden still face enormous obstacles to get our asylum claims heard. At our last self-help meeting a mother who fled for her life from Nigeria with her two daughters reported that she has still not been able to find a legal aid lawyer despite 18 months trying. Without one she has little chance of a fair hearing.

This week another woman will go to court after nine years of fighting to get her case before a judge. Legal aid fees have been cut to the bone making it impossible for most lawyers to continue this work, while home office lawyers get three times as much per hour to enforce deportations.

Over 40 per cent of asylum seekers are unrepresented. This is a deliberate government policy aimed at denying people the internationally recognised right to claim asylum.

Thousands continue to die crossing the Mediterranean Sea because they are refused safe routes to claim their rights and denied rescue.

Many people, especially women, are responding to the government’s murderous and illegal policies with acts of kindness and growing resistance.

On the BBC’s Question Time last week an audience of self-proclaimed Tory voters declined to support home secretary Suella Braverman’s Rwanda plan. That is the voice of the people which hardly ever gets reported. It gives us hope and strengthens our resolve.

GLORIA PARKER
All African Women’s Group
NIKI ADAMS
Legal Action for Women