Last Friday 20th July at 11.30am asylum seekers and their supporters spoke with Labour councillor Ron Stone who responded to the invitation to come out on to College Green to meet.
He listened sympathetically to Ibrahim and many other asylum seekers. He signed our petition and assured the group of his support when we take the petition to the full meeting of the council on Tuesday 4 September.
Lib Dem councillor Simon Cook was away and Guy Poultney his stand in was unavailable. The group went into the foyer of the Council House and managed to just catch Councillor Negus as he was rushing off to a meeting and speak to him. Despite being told Stephen Williams MP was not at his regular Friday surgeries, but was away on holiday, he was spotted and people managed to speak to him for 25 minutes as he was returning from lunch.
This is a promising start and we now plan to ask Bristol council to follow the example of Glasgow City council in condemning the UK Border Agency's policy of destitution and eviction of refused asylum seekers; agreeing that this policy is increasing the strain on the charities and communities supporting their basic needs and asking the government to change the existing rules, which severely restrict local authorities in the support they can provide for failed asylum seekers.
This statement will be presented at 5:30pm at the council house, please come if you can and bring any petitions with signatures. All the petitions will be collected and presented to the full council meeting on 4th September.
This is a promising start and we now plan to ask Bristol council to follow the example of Glasgow City council in condemning the UK Border Agency's policy of destitution and eviction of refused asylum seekers; agreeing that this policy is increasing the strain on the charities and communities supporting their basic needs and asking the government to change the existing rules, which severely restrict local authorities in the support they can provide for failed asylum seekers.
This statement will be presented at 5:30pm at the council house, please come if you can and bring any petitions with signatures. All the petitions will be collected and presented to the full council meeting on 4th September.
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