GMB votes to campaign for more humane immigration policy

Posted: 10 June 2025

The below was originally posted on Dave Levy’s blog. We re-post it here with thanks to Dave, who is President of GMB London General X58 Branch. We welcome the passage of this motion. Even with the unfortunate qualifications imposed on the policy by the union’s executive committee (see below), the policy passed represents a significant and welcome advance. It opens an opportunity for GMB members and branches to organise and campaign for migrants’ rights, and to demand that their union uses its affiliation to the Labour Party for fight for the same and against the Starmer government’s anti-migrant policies.

Yesterday [8 June 2025], the GMB adopted a motion entitled, “For a fair and humane immigration policy”. This was proposed by my Branch and moved at Congress by me.  The motion confirms its policy on fairness and dignity in immigration policy, calling for the repeal of Tory laws, action on ending the hostile environment, and the establishment of safe routes for refugees. It also sets out opposition to some of the proposals in “Restoring control over the immigration system”.  The debate should be available on Youtube shortly.

I have created a document with the full text of the motion. My speech notes are available as a file and below/overleaf.

President, delegates, Dave Levy, London Region moving Motion 228.

It is hoped that this motion represents a progressive policy establishing fairness humanity and dignity at the centre of the UK’s immigration policy.

There are important advances in GMB policy in this motion, particularly calls for repeal of the Tory government’s immigration laws.

The problem we face on using legality as a test for fairness is that the laws do not permit fairness, dignity nor a humane approach; they were written by Tories.

The Tory racist immigration policy, to which Labour Governments have previously contributed discriminates against all migrants and their children.

The GMB needs to oppose the institutional racism of both the state and the Home Office, whose, boastful publication of their legislative proposals and deportation activities must be deplored.

The noting of Labour’s backtracking on the hostile environment, and the persistence of the NHS charge, and the call for safe and legal routes for asylum seekers are important policy goals.

I am shocked, but not surprised, if that makes sense, that again, we talk about fighting Reform without talking about their racism, and permit a Labour government front bench to copy their rhetoric and policies in their immigration policy.

The far right and racism will not be defeated by triangulation and copying Reform UK. Their ideas need to be confronted and shunned.

They have no place in the Labour movement and that includes a Labour front bench.

I call on Congress to support this motion. I move.

At GMB, like most policy conferences, the Central Executive Committee ensures that Congress knows what it wants to happen. The CEC speech was delivered by Donna Spicer and the CEC position, which I have extracted from the GMB document is also posted here.

The carriage of this motion was welcomed by the Labour Campaign for Free Movement, whose model motion inspired me.