UK immigration policy is
punishing Britons with non-EU spouses
I have witnessed the trauma our
supposedly pro-marriage government is inflicting on thousands of families and
their children
Recently I met a group of
people who were so traumatised that at times they found it difficult to speak.
It was a harrowing meeting, although a necessary one. Those who are so
distressed find great help in being listened to. But I was left feeling
helpless, such is their plight.
The people I met are all victims of the new regulations regarding foreign spouses of
British nationals coming
to live in the United Kingdom. These new immigration rules were introduced in
July 2012 and are ruthlessly applied against British citizens seeking to
establish a marital home here.
The
people I met were citizens of this country, holders of British passports. All
of them, however, were broken-hearted because they were not permitted to bring
their wives or husbands to live here. In each case there was going to be no
call on the public purse – in fact each excluded spouse would be an earner and
a taxpayer, not a benefits claimant. Yet protection of the public purse is the
constant argument from our government on limiting immigration. From what I was
being told, this argument is false and misleading.
Upset at these people's stories, I wanted to find out more, and
was amazed to discover that their cases were numerous. In fact, the
government's own estimate is that the new rules will break up as many as 17,800 families every
year – yet the government that is operating this policy claims to be supportive
of the family and in favour of the institution of marriage.
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