Henry Smith MP has spoken in Parliament (on Monday, 19th July) in support of the Government’s Nationality & Borders Bill, and has called for the Home Secretary to go further to address nationality issues which have existed since the Harold Wilson administration half a century ago.

Henry said;

“I share the concerns of many in Crawley at the continued sight of people crossing the English Channel illegally.

“Not only are such journeys unsafe for those involved, but it is unfair on Crawley taxpayers as well as those going through the proper system for these crossings to take place.

“The Government are right to create a fairer immigration system for all and break the business model of people smugglers who trade in the lives of human beings.”

The Crawley MP, who is also a Vice Chair of the Chagos All-Party Parliamentary Group, called on the Home Office to work with him in support of descendants of the Chagos islanders who were forcibly removed from the British Indian Ocean Territory by Harold Wilson’s administration in the late 1960s.

Henry said;

“By updating nationality law to allow individuals descended from the Chagos Islands to register as British Overseas Territories Citizens, the Government can help to right the historic wrong done to this community.

“Crawley is home to perhaps the largest Chagossian community in this country and it’s my honour to represent them in Parliament.

“We can’t turn the clock back but we can right some of the wrongs of the past.”

Please click here for the full text and video of Henry’s speech.