As the country waits with bated breath for Andy Burnham's plans for change, one thing is clear: he must put a halt to the government's anti-migrant slant if he wants to govern differently.
The Home Secretary's plan to "save" the asylum system has been compared to the student loans scheme, and only a full reset on rhetoric and the implementation of a genuinely fair and managed migration system can begin to heal the deep wounds that right-wing politicians have torn in our communities over the last decade.
So far, the signs aren't good. Burnham is understood to back the planned reforms, and pledged to expand the use of detention centers. This approach has taken the Labour party on a path to nowhere, and if he has any sense, he should be looking for a better way.
The Green Party has plenty of common-sense solutions to share, including safe and managed routes for people to seek asylum without making dangerous journeys. Breaking up the failing Home Office so that migration is no longer treated as a crime. And allowing asylum seekers to work, so that they can support themselves and become part of our communities.
These solutions are not performative cruelty, but a genuine attempt to fix our broken migration system. Burnham should take note and consider a new approach that prioritizes fairness and compassion over politics.
