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Politics Home Article | Labour MPs Urge Government To Extend Gaza Student Visa Programme
(Alamy)
3 min read
Labour MPs are urging the government to extend a scheme allowing Palestinian students to come and study in the UK.
As part of the Gaza Scholarship Programme, the government is welcoming prospective students in Palestine who are over the age of 18, have a fully funded and verified scholarship, and have received an offer to study at a UK university by the end of this month.
However, Labour MPs have voiced concern that not a single student has been successfully evacuated from Gaza and moved to the UK under the scheme.
Before Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) on Wednesday, a handful of Labour MPs met asylum minister Alex Norris in the Commons to raise alarm over the fact that the scheme is due to close in a couple of weeks, PoliticsHome understands.
The MPs involved in the push to extend the scheme told PoliticsHome that they know examples of students who have been offered places at UK universities but have encountered extreme difficulty leaving Gaza, despite the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel.
Abtisam Mohamed, Labour MP for Sheffield Central and member of the foreign affairs committee, said: “It’s disappointing that despite guidance changing in October, there has not been a single student dependent evacuated since.
“This means students have been forced to make the terrible choice of pursuing their education and leaving their family behind, despite assurances they would be evacuated together.”
Paula Barker, MP for Liverpool Wavertree, told PoliticsHome: “Despite the ceasefire, we are still seeing people die every day in Gaza. Children and young people are still dying every day. We have a moral duty to help where we know we can.
“We know there are FCDO procedures in place that can secure safe routes out for students. For those young people who have offers at universities here, we should be doing all we can to provide the evacuation support they need. Each day we fail to do this puts their lives and futures at risk.”
Patricia Ferguson, Labour MP for Glasgow West, told PoliticsHome: “I very much hope that the evacuation scheme for Palestinian scholars with places at UK universities can continue so that they can complete their education and be part of rebuilding their country.”
At PMQs this week, Melanie Ward, Labour MP for Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy, and former humanitarian CEO of Medical Aid for Palestinians, urged Prime Minister Keir Starmer to extend the scheme. In response, Starmer said he wanted the prospective students to take up their places at university, but did not commit to extending the scheme.
A government spokesperson told PoliticsHome: “Students coming from Gaza to the UK have suffered an appalling ordeal after two years of conflict and can begin to rebuild their lives through studying in our world-class universities.
“That is why we have been supporting the departure from Gaza of students on fully funded scholarships, and eligible dependents, in line with the immigration rules.
“We will confirm the future of the scheme in due course, and we are actively looking at solutions to support the outstanding students to arrive.”
