A key union has joined faith leaders and charities in warning that a policy banning refugees arriving on small boats from gaining UK citizenship could “breed division and distrust”. Fresh guidance states anyone entering the UK illegally, including those arriving on small boats or hiding in vehicles, will be refused citizenship. Christina McAnea, general secretary of Unison, and nine Church of England bishops are among 147 signatories of a letter to the home secretary urging her to rethink the policy. They wrote that the government must focus on ensuring refugees “are welcomed and integrated into British life”. The letter argues that citizenship is “not just a legal status” but “a tangible fulfilment of the promise of safety, dignity, and opportunity”. The policy has been criticized by Labour MP Stella Creasy.
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