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Anti-racists protest outside Parliament as Illegal Migration Bill returns to commons

ANTI-RACISM campaigners are set to stage a demo tonight against the government’s “latest brutal attack on the human rights of refugees” as the Illegal Migration Bill returned to Parliament.

The protest, organised by Care4Calais, Stand Up To Racism (SUTR) and Civil Service workers’ union PCS, prepared to gather in London’s Parliament Square in opposition to the Bill tonight, and called for an amendment for a safe passage visa scheme.

Speakers are to include MPs Jeremy Corbyn, Bell Ribeiro-Addy, Richard Burgon and Beth Winter as well as refugees, trade unionists and campaigners.

Mr Corbyn is expected to say: “The movement opposing the government’s barbaric immigration Bill continues to grow. 

“We will continue to mobilise in our communities to say refugees are welcome here.”

It followed a weekend of anti-fascist counter-mobilisations against far-right groups in Erskine, Wakefield, Manchester and more as they targeted refugees.

In Essex today, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Home Secretary Suella Braverman were heckled by a woman, shouting: “Allow migrants into our country” and “Go away, we don’t want you here.”

The pair were joined by local police officers as they strolled through the town centre and ignored the unknown woman.

The Bill, dubbed the “anti-refugee Bill” by rights groups, is designed by the government to stop migrants from crossing across the Channel in small boats.

It would see asylum-seekers arriving through unauthorised methods being detained without bail or judicial review for 28 days before being “swiftly removed” to their home country or a “safe third country” such as Rwanda.

The Bill returned to the House of Commons for its committee stage meeting today, with the Tories’ own MPs showing objections to the proposed legislation.

Calls have been made in Parliament for Mr Sunak to commit to establishing safe routes into Britain while some other MPs have called for the plans to be scrapped completely, warning its would not deter people from taking the dangerous journey.

It is believed that Ms Braverman held discussions with MPs ahead of the debate to temporarily put off the rebellion.

Leading the rebellion, Tory former minister Tim Loughton had tabled an amendment to the Bill, which he said would help crack down on “bogus asylum-seekers” and create “defined safe and legal routes.”

Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said the Bill was a con but declined to say whether Labour would support Mr Loughton’s proposals.

The PM downplayed suggestions that he and Ms Braverman were at odds over the Bill, following reports that she has been privately encouraging right-wing rebels in the party to put pressure on him to toughen the legislation.

Mr Sunak told reporters in Essex that he was confident they had designed legislation that was “robust and effective” while remaining compliant with Britain’s obligations under international law.

But SUTR co-convener Weyman Bennett said: “The government’s new Bill is yet another vicious assault on the rights of refugees and is about whipping up racist division to scapegoat refugees and migrants.

“It is part of the racist rhetoric and policies that gives confidence to and fans the flames of the far right and fascist forces, who are actively organising in an attempt to build a racist movement against refugees.”

The debate in Parliament began after the Morning Star went to print and is expected to last for two days.

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