Labour candidate for Finchley and Golders Green Sarah Sackman calls on the government to drop its controversial asylum plan

The UK houses of parliament, viewed from across the road at the top of The Mall — The palace of Westminster – home to the UK’s houses of parliament

Dear Barnet Post,

The government’s Rwanda policy, supported by Barnet’s Conservative MPs, is unworkable, unlawful and a waste of money.

What does this mess mean for people in Finchley and Golders Green?

The Conservatives have already wasted £290m of our money on a policy that was always bound to fail. That money could have been spent on rebuilding crumbling local schools, hiring more nurses or processing the backlog of asylum seekers currently housed in Barnet hotels.

The policy is a cruel, costly gimmick. Many of our local residents came to Britain one or two generations ago as asylum seekers. From Nazi Germany, to Ukraine, to Hong Kong, Barnet has a fine tradition of welcoming those fleeing persecution; many of whom have made a significant contribution to our community.

It’s time to end this farce, scrap the scheme, save our money and treat people with respect.

Sarah Sackman – Labour candidate, Finchley and Golders Green

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