More than 100 leading charities have urged UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood to end the “scapegoating of migrants” in national policy and political rhetoric.
The open letter, coordinated by Refugee Action and signed by 105 organisations, was delivered ahead of Mahmood’s Labour Party Conference speech in Liverpool. Signatories included major charities such as Save the Children, Mind, Oxfam, Shelter, Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, and numerous migrant rights and anti-racism groups. The PCS union, representing Border Force staff, also endorsed the call.
Call to Address Structural Problems Instead of Targeting Migrants
The letter urges Mahmood to focus on tackling systemic issues such as the housing crisis, NHS pressures, the climate emergency, and deepening inequality, rather than advancing what it described as “performative policies” that harm vulnerable people.
“Targeting refugees will do nothing to fix underfunded councils, crumbling hospitals, or polluted waters,” the letter states. “It only serves as a smokescreen to scapegoat the most vulnerable and distract from real challenges.”
The organisations stressed the need for cooperation with local authorities, civil society, and refugees themselves to deliver practical solutions.
Rising Far-Right Mobilisation Fuels Concerns
The intervention comes after a summer of hostility toward asylum seekers, including violent protests outside hotels and a far-right rally in London drawing 110,000–150,000 people earlier this month.
Signatories warned that scapegoating migrants risks deepening anger and division in society: “Anger and division will never satisfy voters in the long term. They cause tensions in our communities, dividing us and tearing at the social fabric of our society.”
Charities Warn of Dangerous Political Path
Tim Naor Hilton, CEO of Refugee Action, said austerity and wealth inequality were the true drivers behind food bank reliance, NHS backlogs, and housing shortages: “Blaming people seeking asylum for problems not created by them has huge consequences across all parts of society.”
Areeba Hamid, Co-Executive Director of Greenpeace UK, added: “A week after the new home secretary was appointed, more than 100,000 people joined a far-right rally in our capital. That should be a wake-up call.”
She highlighted the positive impact of immigration, pointing to contributions in the NHS and other sectors, saying: “If we are to stand for decency and inclusion, we need to start with changing the tone of our debate about immigration.”
A Home Office spokesperson reiterated that the government is committed to secure borders, describing them as “an essential part of being a tolerant, open, generous country,” while vowing to explore all options to restore order to the immigration system.
