London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Jun 20, 2025

UK immigration law hoards the spoils of colonialism

UK immigration law hoards the spoils of colonialism

Britain enriched itself by exploiting other countries and their people, called them part of the British Empire, and now it’s shutting its doors and treating them like criminals.
On the 13th of May 2021, we saw the home office attempt to detain and deport two men of Indian origin in a dawn raid in Glasgow. After a successful protest by their neighbours, Lakhvir Singh and Sumit Sehdev were released, but branded criminals by the Home Office who vowed to deport them.

Beyond the fact that the men have lived in Scotland for more than ten years and have established their lives in Britain, there is another, less talked about reason, why Britain owes those men at the very least, a life free from state-sanctioned harassment. That is, the legacy of the British Empire and its impact, which is being felt today and will be for centuries to come, by people from its former colonies.

Today, the majority of asylum seekers originate from countries that until 30-60 years ago were under colonial rule, writes Lucy Mayblin in her book Asylum After Empire. Refugees coming across the English Channel are mainly from Yemen, Eritrea, Chad, Egypt, Sudan, and Iraq – all former British and French colonies.

The coercive takeover of countries that formed the British Empire sewed chaos. Culture, rituals, and existing economies were destroyed. Over time things would get more complex, and even as many countries became independent, the seeds for conflict and poverty had been planted. Eventually, people from those countries would be desperate enough to make life-threatening journeys across land and sea to peaceful parts of the world.

The effects of colonialism are complex and varied, but the patterns of poverty and conflict in countries in the wake of empire are undeniable. In South Africa where I’m from it will take hundreds of years for new, non-violent ways of life to materialise. The country’s not at war like some of Europe’s other conquests, but with a murder rate of around 57 people per day, violence is part of people’s everyday life.

The New Plan for Immigration, introduced by the Home Secretary on 24th of March 2021, keeps migrants from colonial countries, who aren’t affluent or skilled in specific ways, from entering the UK at all – whether that’s to seek asylum, or just to visit a family member. It criminalises asylum seekers based on how they get to the UK, whether their claims are legitimate or not, and puts people like Sumit Sehdev and Lakhvir Singh from Kenmure Street in a constant state of uncertainty and mental distress. Not to mention the devastating effects it’s having on the lives of British-born people.

Brexit was decided based on the idea that immigrants come to the UK to take jobs and resources. Home Secretary, Priti Patel calls immigration unfair to people whose taxes fund public services, without considering at all, the fact that fortunes made from slavery and empire, paid for that infrastructure and paved the way to modern Britain.

These were the same ideas that gave rise to the legislative walls of Apartheid in South Africa. The UK’s immigration policies are no different. They work to restrict access to wealth, more often than not, from people whose countries have been destroyed by colonialism. Migration and refugee law specialist Nadine El-Enany calls immigration law, whether in the form of the hostile environment, visa requirements or other external border controls, an ongoing expression of empire, “part of an attempt to control access to the spoils of empire which are located in Britain.”

Brits that support tighter and tighter immigration laws have no idea the benefits they’ve received from the exploitation of colonial resources that would have otherwise improved the quality of life for Indian-born people like Sumit Sehdev and Lakhvir Singh of Kenmure Street.

Countries that have been, and continue to enrich themselves from colonial relationships, need to remember where their fortunes came from – and why a hospitable environment for people who come from countries devastated in the wake of colonialism, is the least they can do.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
UK Home Secretary Apologizes Over Child Grooming Failures
Trump Organization Launches 5G Mobile Network and Golden Handset
Towcester Hosts 2025 English Greyhound Derby Amid Industry Scrutiny
Gary Oldman and David Beckham Knighted in King's Birthday Honours
Over 30,000 Lightning Strikes Recorded Across UK During Overnight Storms
Princess of Wales Returns to Public Duties at Trooping the Colour
Red Arrows Use Sustainable Fuel in Historic Trooping the Colour Flypast
Former Welsh First Minister Addresses Unionist Concerns Over Irish Language
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
France Bars Israeli Arms Companies from Paris Defense Expo
King Charles Leads Tribute to Air India Crash Victims at Trooping the Colour
Jack Pitchford Embarks on 200-Mile Walk to Support Stem Cell Charity
Surrey Hikers Take on Challenge of Climbing 11 Peaks in a Single Day
UK Deploys RAF Jets to Middle East Amid Israel-Iran Tensions
Two Skydivers Die in 'Tragic Accident' at Devon Airfield
Sainsbury's and Morrisons Accused of Displaying Prohibited Tobacco Ads
UK Launches National Inquiry into Grooming Gangs
Families Seek Closure After Air India Crash
Gold Emerges as Global Safe Haven Amid Uncertainty
Trump Reports $57 Million Earnings from Crypto Venture
Trump's Military Parade Sparks Concerns Over Authoritarianism
Nationwide 'No Kings' Protests Challenge Trump's Leadership
UK Deploys Jets to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions
Trump's Anti-War Stance Tested Amid Israel-Iran Conflict
Germany Holds First Veterans Celebration Since WWII
U.S. Health Secretary Dismisses CDC Vaccine Advisory Committee
Minnesota Lawmaker Melissa Hortman and Husband Killed in Targeted Attack; Senator John Hoffman and Wife Injured
Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Overthrow of Khamenei Regime
×