Last week, alongside many other brilliant organisations, campaign groups, and community leaders, we travelled from Manchester to London to take part in the Mass Lobby against the government’s proposed ‘earned settlement’ plans. A coach of 50 people travelled from Greater Manchester, joining over 500 individuals from around the country – all heading to Westminster to ask their MPs to say no to these proposals. We were joined by Asylum Matters, Greater Manchester Hotels Group, Boaz Trust, Great!, RAS Voice, Status Now 4 All, These Walls Must Fall, and Women Asylum Seekers Together.
What is a Mass Lobby?
A Mass Lobby is when a large group of people arrange meetings with their MPs at the same time. It’s a powerful way to push MPs to take action, demonstrate the strength of public support, and ensure constituents’ voices are heard in Westminster.
Our Stand in Parliament
In Parliament, we met with our MPs to talk about why we fundamentally disagree with the idea of ‘earned settlement’, not least because of the racism that underpins these proposals, but also because of the very real impact they would have on our communities.
In Greater Manchester alone, around 1 in 10 residents would be affected, increasing child poverty, housing insecurity and destitution, and impacting the wellbeing of people who live in our communities and call this place home.
On our coach, we heard directly from people who would be most affected by these changes. There were young people who would have to wait until their 50s before they could settle in the UK; mums deeply worried about the impact on their children, who see themselves as Mancunian; and people who spoke of a deep sense of betrayal – feeling as though the rules were shifting under their feet.
It was a day to come together and make our voices heard, with hundreds of people from around the country united in opposition to these harmful proposals. People attending the mass lobby spoke to over 80 MPs overall, many of whom were receptive to our ideas and shared our deep concerns about earned settlement. Click here to watch Praxis’ video about the day.
Rally Outside Parliament
After the meetings, we joined fellow campaigners outside Parliament for a rally, calling for the proposals to be scrapped and for a fairer immigration system that protects migrants rather than punishes them.
Speakers included Hannah Spencer, Gorton and Denton MP, and Tania, one of our community organisers. Tania spoke on behalf of THE VOICE, our action group of women who are all on the 10-year route to settlement. She shared a powerful testament to how punishing the 10-year route really is, and why all routes to settlement should be capped at 5 years, not extended in ways that cement the insecurity and struggle people already face.
Tania’s Speech:
Tania began by stating that settlement is a right, not a privilege. Members of the VOICE group are facing the harsh realities of juggling multiple jobs, childcare, and the overwhelming pressures of the immigration system. Many couldn’t attend the mass lobby due to these demands, so Tania was there to speak on their behalf.
The women of THE VOICE have been campaigning for the 10-year route to be reduced. Long delays, the constant fear of losing status, and the endless waiting turn the whole process into a prolonged struggle.
Tania expressed firmly “No one should have their route extended to 10 years, let alone 20 or 30 years.”
She pointed out the systemic issues, describing the process as rigged, racist, classist, and ultimately harmful. Tania called out the immigration system for exploiting migrants, profiting from their suffering. Even when people follow the rules, pay extortionate fees, and work tirelessly, the government still punishes them for accessing public support, pushing them into poverty.
“This is a violent act,” she said.
Tania also challenged the idea that people should have to “earn” their right to settlement, emphasising how the system is rooted in racism and classism. She called for a complete rejection of this narrative.
“We stand with all migrants,” Tania said. “We reject the idea of ‘good and bad migrants.’”
She also warned that framing the issue around ‘integration’ only feeds into far-right rhetoric, which fuels racist violence. Tania pointed to the increasing attacks on asylum seekers, the rise of far-right groups marching through our streets, and the disturbing rise in mosque attacks during Ramadan.
“We reject this violence and the far-right narrative that seeks to scapegoat migrants.”
Tania argued that people shouldn’t have to constantly prove their worth or live in fear of their status being revoked. Migrants deserve to live without the ongoing stress of renewals, uncertainty, and sky-high fees that only benefit the Home Office.
She ended with a powerful slogan from past resistance movements – “Here to stay and here to fight” – and called for unity and strength, saying: “We will not be divided.”
Last week was a reminder that when we come together, we are powerful. We will continue to fight the earned settlement proposals using every avenue available to us, including by continuing conversations with MPs in the North West and ensuring they hear the voices of people in their constituencies who will be directly impacted.