A Scottish Labour MP says people are trying to “silence” her over her criticism of asylum policy.
Joani Reid accused the SNP of turning Glasgow into “a sanctuary for asylum seekers” due to “virtue-signalling policies”.
Under Scottish homelessness laws, any individual who is not voluntarily homeless has the right to settled accommodation.
In England, local authorities accommodate people in ‘priority need’ first, meaning asylum seekers who are removed from hotels and have nowhere may be more likely to seek shelter in Scotland.
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Ms Reid was accused by figures within the SNP and Scottish Greens of parroting the language of Reform UK in her criticism, which she alleges is an attempt to silence her criticism.
She told The Scotsman: “Scotland has a proud record of welcoming people fleeing persecution. But the Scottish Government’s decision to scrap local connection rules in 2022 wasn’t driven by compassion or a genuine desire to support asylum seekers. Like so much of what the SNP does, it was about looking virtuous and morally superior.
“Those rules helped manage demand by sharing responsibility across Scotland. Removing them was reckless and the result is a system close to collapse. In Glasgow, homelessness services are at breaking point and both local residents and newly recognised refugees are paying the price. Instead of taking responsibility, the SNP, as usual is now attempting to shift blame to Westminster and shut down debate.
“Anyone raising legitimate concerns is accused of using ‘Reform-style’ language as if questioning their handling of the crisis were somehow extremist. It’s an attempt to silence criticism rather than face it and it’s profoundly unhelpful when what’s needed is honesty, humility, and a serious effort to fix what’s gone wrong.
“I helped set up one of the UK’s most successful refugee programmes. I know that collaboration and careful planning is key to helping people rebuild their lives and integrate into communities. If the Scottish Government truly cared about refugees, they’d be working with others to find solutions not playing political games with people’s lives.”