PCS general secretary FRAN HEATHCOTE explains why opposing war is inseparable from defending jobs, wages and public services – and why readers should come to the London Peace Conference on Saturday June 20
DURING the early days of the pandemic in March 2020, the Home Office suspended evictions of destitute refused asylum-seekers in line with the urgent direction to local authority’s homelessness services to bring “everyone in.”
But only six months later in September 2020, during the “second wave” of Covid-19, the Home Office announced its plan to restart evictions of those asylum-seekers whose applications have been denied and who don’t agree to leave.
Charities and human rights campaigners condemned the decision as inhumane and warned it could result in rough sleeping and sofa surfing and, as a consequence, a rise in coronavirus cases.
DIANE ABBOTT warns that Shabana Mahmood’s draconian asylum proposals fuel racist scapegoating and risk demoralising Labour’s base – potentially paving the way for Farage to No 10


