Sile Reynolds
@silereynolds.bsky.social
Asylum policy lead at Freedom from Torture. Scenic swimmer. Hopeless grower of inedible vegetables. Occasional painter. Views are my own.
Reposted by Sile Reynolds
The UK government's proposals on changes to settlement (indefinite leave to remain) rules have now been published in a consultation paper, ahead of a statement from the Home Secretary to MPs shortly www.gov.uk/government/c...
Earned settlement
The government is consulting on how the current settlement system should be reformed and how those reforms should be implemented.
www.gov.uk
November 20, 2025 at 12:46 PM
The UK government's proposals on changes to settlement (indefinite leave to remain) rules have now been published in a consultation paper, ahead of a statement from the Home Secretary to MPs shortly www.gov.uk/government/c...
Reposted by Sile Reynolds
My spirit animal joins us (and I am particularly feeling him this week)!
November 13, 2024 at 6:07 PM
My spirit animal joins us (and I am particularly feeling him this week)!
The day after Home Sec announced a raft of punitive policies that deny refugees the safety & stability they need to rebuild their lives, @freedomfromtorture.bsky.social joins @helenbamber.bsky.social in challenging Govt’s failure to consult experts ahead of harmful changes to asylum housing policy
🚨 Today we’re in court challenging changes to the Home Office’s 'Allocation of Asylum Accommodation' policy which force more trafficking & torture survivors to share rooms with strangers. These were introduced with no consultation or warning. 🧵
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...
Charities take Home Office to court over ‘prison-like’ overcrowded migrant hotels
Government accused of forcing trafficking and torture survivors to share rooms with strangers in case that comes as it faces growing criticism over sweeping plans to overhaul UK’s asylum system
www.independent.co.uk
November 18, 2025 at 11:37 AM
The day after Home Sec announced a raft of punitive policies that deny refugees the safety & stability they need to rebuild their lives, @freedomfromtorture.bsky.social joins @helenbamber.bsky.social in challenging Govt’s failure to consult experts ahead of harmful changes to asylum housing policy
Reposted by Sile Reynolds
Leaving the ECHR won't stop people risking their lives through Channel crossings but it WOULD harm the rights of both migrants in the UK & our wider communities.
On 75th Anniversary of ECHR, we call on politicians to stop scapegoating & defend human rights.
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...
On 75th Anniversary of ECHR, we call on politicians to stop scapegoating & defend human rights.
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...
Leaving the ECHR won’t stop the boats, 300 organisations warn in rallying cry
Prime minister Keir Starmer urged to make positive case for ECHR after Kemi Badenoch pledged a Tory government would leave the treaty
www.independent.co.uk
November 3, 2025 at 3:02 PM
Leaving the ECHR won't stop people risking their lives through Channel crossings but it WOULD harm the rights of both migrants in the UK & our wider communities.
On 75th Anniversary of ECHR, we call on politicians to stop scapegoating & defend human rights.
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...
On 75th Anniversary of ECHR, we call on politicians to stop scapegoating & defend human rights.
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...
FfT has published 'A Place to Heal' a powerful report centring the voices of those in asylum housing & exposing the devastating harm it causes to survivors. The solutions are simple:
✅ Better quality & faster asylum decisions to manage numbers
✅ Locally-tailored, well-resourced housing
✅ Better quality & faster asylum decisions to manage numbers
✅ Locally-tailored, well-resourced housing
Asylum hotels and military barracks are awful places to live for people fleeing torture.
We didn’t rely on them to house asylum seekers five years ago – so why is our government using them now?
It’s time to change this and take action on asylum accommodation.
We didn’t rely on them to house asylum seekers five years ago – so why is our government using them now?
It’s time to change this and take action on asylum accommodation.
November 3, 2025 at 1:04 PM
FfT has published 'A Place to Heal' a powerful report centring the voices of those in asylum housing & exposing the devastating harm it causes to survivors. The solutions are simple:
✅ Better quality & faster asylum decisions to manage numbers
✅ Locally-tailored, well-resourced housing
✅ Better quality & faster asylum decisions to manage numbers
✅ Locally-tailored, well-resourced housing
I'm just gonna pop this here for any Sun readers who are interested in why refugees actually come to the UK... from @freedomfromtorture.bsky.social report Fleeing a Burning House: www.freedomfromtorture.org/sites/defaul...
October 23, 2025 at 9:46 AM
I'm just gonna pop this here for any Sun readers who are interested in why refugees actually come to the UK... from @freedomfromtorture.bsky.social report Fleeing a Burning House: www.freedomfromtorture.org/sites/defaul...
Confirmation published yesterday by the Home Office, that Napier barracks will continue to be used to house people seeking asylum until December 2025. It was due to close in September this year following years of criticism and labelled as 'squalid' by a High Court judge: www.gov.uk/government/p...
Napier Barracks, Folkestone: factsheet
www.gov.uk
October 23, 2025 at 9:23 AM
Confirmation published yesterday by the Home Office, that Napier barracks will continue to be used to house people seeking asylum until December 2025. It was due to close in September this year following years of criticism and labelled as 'squalid' by a High Court judge: www.gov.uk/government/p...
For anyone despairing at Labour’s “soft surrender” to Reform…. www.bigissue.com/opinion/labour-reform-immigration-policy-racism/
Labour can't out-Reform Reform – it needs to change tack
The Labour Party can't out-Reform Reform, and if it genuinely wants to choose ‘decency’ over ‘division’, it needs to change tact.
www.bigissue.com
October 2, 2025 at 12:10 PM
For anyone despairing at Labour’s “soft surrender” to Reform…. www.bigissue.com/opinion/labour-reform-immigration-policy-racism/
Reposted by Sile Reynolds
The vast majority of our clients detained under "one in, one out" scheme are survivors of torture and trafficking. Our independent clinicians have visited clients in immigration removal centres and found concerning levels of PTSD and suicidal thoughts
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
‘We can’t eat. We can’t sleep. It’s a disaster’: the small boat detainees waiting to be sent back to France
This week the first migrants could be flown out of Britain under the ‘one in, one out’ deportation scheme. They talk about their fears and incomprehension
www.theguardian.com
September 16, 2025 at 9:34 AM
The vast majority of our clients detained under "one in, one out" scheme are survivors of torture and trafficking. Our independent clinicians have visited clients in immigration removal centres and found concerning levels of PTSD and suicidal thoughts
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Reposted by Sile Reynolds
Last week the government suspended new refugee family reunion applications.
This devastating move will deny family life to refugees. It will simply punish those who have already suffered.
The Home Secretary must restore refugee family reunion rights and build strong communities.
This devastating move will deny family life to refugees. It will simply punish those who have already suffered.
The Home Secretary must restore refugee family reunion rights and build strong communities.
September 9, 2025 at 11:45 AM
Last week the government suspended new refugee family reunion applications.
This devastating move will deny family life to refugees. It will simply punish those who have already suffered.
The Home Secretary must restore refugee family reunion rights and build strong communities.
This devastating move will deny family life to refugees. It will simply punish those who have already suffered.
The Home Secretary must restore refugee family reunion rights and build strong communities.
Reposted by Sile Reynolds
Confirmation of new migration ministers in the Home Office. Alex Norris takes over the asylum brief from Angela Eagle, while Mike Tapp is the new migration minister
September 8, 2025 at 11:57 AM
Confirmation of new migration ministers in the Home Office. Alex Norris takes over the asylum brief from Angela Eagle, while Mike Tapp is the new migration minister
I’m gonna politely disagree with some commentators who’ve excused Labour’s actions on refugee rights by focusing on the occasional reference to compassion. Haven’t seen much compassion from front bench this week www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/sep/05/grim-migrant-bashing-labour-yvette-cooper
A grim week of migrant-bashing, and for what? People will suffer – and Labour will gain absolutely nothing | Diane Taylor
British politicians’ rhetoric has become increasingly shouty and hateful. And now the home secretary has joined the chorus, says writer Diane Taylor
www.theguardian.com
September 5, 2025 at 10:57 AM
I’m gonna politely disagree with some commentators who’ve excused Labour’s actions on refugee rights by focusing on the occasional reference to compassion. Haven’t seen much compassion from front bench this week www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/sep/05/grim-migrant-bashing-labour-yvette-cooper
Reposted by Sile Reynolds
🚨 Nigel Farage is in Birmingham today, where he'll be talking about Reform's plans to try to send torture survivors into the arms of their torturers.
So here's a new billboard to show who has come out to back his new plan.
📍near Reform’s party conference, Birmingham
So here's a new billboard to show who has come out to back his new plan.
📍near Reform’s party conference, Birmingham
September 5, 2025 at 9:31 AM
🚨 Nigel Farage is in Birmingham today, where he'll be talking about Reform's plans to try to send torture survivors into the arms of their torturers.
So here's a new billboard to show who has come out to back his new plan.
📍near Reform’s party conference, Birmingham
So here's a new billboard to show who has come out to back his new plan.
📍near Reform’s party conference, Birmingham
Reposted by Sile Reynolds
So the govt is closing refugee family reunion for all practical purposes for the time being.
Applying the usual family migration rules to refugees means they will need to be earning at least £29,000 a year. After spending possibly years in asylum accommodation and not being allowed to work.
Applying the usual family migration rules to refugees means they will need to be earning at least £29,000 a year. After spending possibly years in asylum accommodation and not being allowed to work.
September 1, 2025 at 3:03 PM
So the govt is closing refugee family reunion for all practical purposes for the time being.
Applying the usual family migration rules to refugees means they will need to be earning at least £29,000 a year. After spending possibly years in asylum accommodation and not being allowed to work.
Applying the usual family migration rules to refugees means they will need to be earning at least £29,000 a year. After spending possibly years in asylum accommodation and not being allowed to work.
Cooper will shortly be providing a statement to parliament on her plans for asylum reforms, including reforms to restrict access to refugee family reunion and speeding up processing of asylum appeals www.parliamentlive.tv/Commons
Parliamentlive.tv - Commons
www.parliamentlive.tv
September 1, 2025 at 2:38 PM
Cooper will shortly be providing a statement to parliament on her plans for asylum reforms, including reforms to restrict access to refugee family reunion and speeding up processing of asylum appeals www.parliamentlive.tv/Commons
Reposted by Sile Reynolds
Well, in a dramatic twist that will surprise no-one, Philp has used the opportunity of the Government’s dog-whistle white paper on immigration to explain how the Conservatives could do all of the above & more + without any of the pesky human rights constraints that Labour is barely clinging on to.
May 12, 2025 at 4:20 PM
Well, in a dramatic twist that will surprise no-one, Philp has used the opportunity of the Government’s dog-whistle white paper on immigration to explain how the Conservatives could do all of the above & more + without any of the pesky human rights constraints that Labour is barely clinging on to.
Reposted by Sile Reynolds
New from FM: What is in the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill? | Colin Yeo
What is in the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill? - Free Movement
The Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill has landed. It weighs in at 57 clauses ("sections" once it is an Act), two schedules and 74 pages. Let's take
buff.ly
January 30, 2025 at 3:29 PM
New from FM: What is in the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill? | Colin Yeo
Reposted by Sile Reynolds
The Bill is out: bills.parliament.uk/bills/3929
Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill - Parliamentary Bills - UK Parliament
Current version of Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill with latest news, sponsors, and progress through Houses
bills.parliament.uk
January 30, 2025 at 12:45 PM
The Bill is out: bills.parliament.uk/bills/3929
Reposted by Sile Reynolds
Second reading will be on 10th February, according to the business statement (bill isn't published yet though)
The Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill is going to be introduced in the Commons tomorrow. Mean the second reading debate could be before the February recess commonsbusiness.parliament.uk/Document/920...
January 30, 2025 at 11:35 AM
Second reading will be on 10th February, according to the business statement (bill isn't published yet though)
We're expecting first reading of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill at around 11:30am today. We'll finally see the detail of the counter-terror style powers this Government proposes to use against all those arriving at the UK border without pre-authorisation.
January 30, 2025 at 7:46 AM
We're expecting first reading of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill at around 11:30am today. We'll finally see the detail of the counter-terror style powers this Government proposes to use against all those arriving at the UK border without pre-authorisation.
Reposted by Sile Reynolds
Until torture stops and until we have safe routes, refugees will always try to seek safety
Smuggling gangs will simply adapt to new measures the govt is looking to introduce, as they've always done
Head of Asylum Advocacy @silereynolds.bsky.social explains👇
morningstaronline.co.uk/article/smug...
Smuggling gangs will simply adapt to new measures the govt is looking to introduce, as they've always done
Head of Asylum Advocacy @silereynolds.bsky.social explains👇
morningstaronline.co.uk/article/smug...
Smuggling gangs will ‘simply adapt’ to Labour's new sanctions, experts say
morningstaronline.co.uk
January 10, 2025 at 11:29 AM
Until torture stops and until we have safe routes, refugees will always try to seek safety
Smuggling gangs will simply adapt to new measures the govt is looking to introduce, as they've always done
Head of Asylum Advocacy @silereynolds.bsky.social explains👇
morningstaronline.co.uk/article/smug...
Smuggling gangs will simply adapt to new measures the govt is looking to introduce, as they've always done
Head of Asylum Advocacy @silereynolds.bsky.social explains👇
morningstaronline.co.uk/article/smug...
Reposted by Sile Reynolds
Ensuring that people do not need to leave countries of origin to seek asylum elsewhere would be a laudable foreign policy aim, one which would require increased foreign aid investment, reduced arms sales and many other things. This is not close to that though. 1/
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
January 9, 2025 at 9:35 AM
Ensuring that people do not need to leave countries of origin to seek asylum elsewhere would be a laudable foreign policy aim, one which would require increased foreign aid investment, reduced arms sales and many other things. This is not close to that though. 1/
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Some helpful clarifications from Home Secretary Yvette Coopers' appearance before the Home Affairs Select Committee on Monday: the immigration White Paper coming in the new year will focus on reform of labour migration routes to UK & enforcement on illegal working parliamentlive.tv/event/index/...
Parliamentlive.tv
Home Affairs Committee
parliamentlive.tv
December 19, 2024 at 11:05 AM
Some helpful clarifications from Home Secretary Yvette Coopers' appearance before the Home Affairs Select Committee on Monday: the immigration White Paper coming in the new year will focus on reform of labour migration routes to UK & enforcement on illegal working parliamentlive.tv/event/index/...
Home Affairs Cttee just launched an inquiry into asylum accommodation. This is such an important inquiry at a critical time in the life of the current contracts.
@FreefromTorture & @SSOonline will put in our evidence of the impact of asylum housing on survivors of torture tinyurl.com/4duk6fuu
@FreefromTorture & @SSOonline will put in our evidence of the impact of asylum housing on survivors of torture tinyurl.com/4duk6fuu
New inquiry into Asylum Accommodation launched - Committees - UK Parliament
The Home Affairs Committee has launched a new inquiry into asylum accommodation.
committees.parliament.uk
December 19, 2024 at 10:44 AM
Home Affairs Cttee just launched an inquiry into asylum accommodation. This is such an important inquiry at a critical time in the life of the current contracts.
@FreefromTorture & @SSOonline will put in our evidence of the impact of asylum housing on survivors of torture tinyurl.com/4duk6fuu
@FreefromTorture & @SSOonline will put in our evidence of the impact of asylum housing on survivors of torture tinyurl.com/4duk6fuu