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CJ McKinney

@cjmckinney.bsky.social
7.2K followers 173 following 1.2K posts

Parliamentary adviser on immigration and asylum. Child of the Common Travel Area. Views, if any, are my own. commonslibrary.parliament.uk/author…

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CJ McKinney @cjmckinney.bsky.social · 16/10/2026
Asylum appeals now face "waiting times of more than two years", minister tells MPs. hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2026...
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CJ McKinney @cjmckinney.bsky.social · 15/10/2026
Congratulations! Sounds like a great fit.
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CJ McKinney @cjmckinney.bsky.social · 15/10/2026
Lot of sharks out there www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
'I paid thousands to a company for healthcare jobs that didn't materialise'
Apurv Patel is one of several people who say they were promised job opportunities that did not appear.
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CJ McKinney @cjmckinney.bsky.social · 12/10/2026
"I have heard of a few other families who have also had their refugee status taken away from them on the same basis as me – the Home Office says Syria is now a safe country for us to return to" www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
theguardian.com
Surgeon faces deportation as Home Office revokes refugee status for Syrians
UK classifies Syria as safe to return to despite UN refugee body’s advice
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CJ McKinney @cjmckinney.bsky.social · 11/10/2026
"Data from Enroly, a company that processes visa applicants, suggests that refusal rates at almost half of universities are above the 5 per cent threshold that could result in their being banned from recruiting international students". www.ft.com/content/1bab...
ft.com
UK universities withdraw offers from international students to avoid blanket ban
Pullback comes in response to doubling in number of study visas being refused by the Home Office in the first six months of 2026
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CJ McKinney @cjmckinney.bsky.social · 09/10/2026
Small boat crossings have "replaced, indeed surpassed, the net migration target as an object lesson in the risks of government overpromising, then under-delivering, against expectations on immigration control" www.smf.co.uk/publications...
smf.co.uk
Inside out: Why and how falling immigration numbers could result in increasing political and public tensions and divisions over immigration in the UK | Social Market Foundation
How could falling net migration increase political and public tensions over immigration? Migration expert Jonathan Thomas explores.
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Second Reading @commonslibrary.bsky.social · 09/10/2026
UK Resettlement Scheme reopening and new refugee sponsorship routes commonslibrary.parliament.uk/resear…
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CJ McKinney @cjmckinney.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
www.newsletter.co.uk/news/politic...
newsletter.co.uk
Allegations that NI travellers are being racially profiled during Irish immigration checks on the border
Irish police have not explained how they identify illegal migrants entering the Republic from Northern Ireland without racially profiling travellers, after claims that white passengers were “bypassed”...
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CJ McKinney @cjmckinney.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
"How do you exempt locals from immigration checks without racial profiling?" “A human-rights based approach is adopted in relation to every individual stopped". OK then.
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CJ McKinney @cjmckinney.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
"Courting workers and high-spending visitors from overseas is sound economic policy, but it requires a joined-up approach on the supply side in the form of much greater housebuilding" www.ft.com/content/437c...
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CJ McKinney @cjmckinney.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Lot of highfalutin explanations for the unpopularity of Romanian immigrants offered here, but a lot of British people just think that "Romanian" = "Roma" link.springer.com/chapter/10.1...
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CJ McKinney @cjmckinney.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
"The most important reason why immigration is more successful in the United States is the simplest: Europe makes it structurally much harder for immigrants to work" www.theargumentmag.com/p/why-americ...
theargumentmag.com
Why America is so much better than Europe at immigration
What liberals can actually learn from Denmark
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Work Rights Centre @workrights.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Home Office rules on Right to Work checks are being updated from tomorrow. Read our explainer, which covers: • When will businesses need to conduct a Right to Work check? • How can businesses conduct these checks? • Is one Right to Work check enough? www.workrightscentre.org/publications...
workrightscentre.org
Right to Work checks to be redefined from 1 October 2026 | Work Rights Centre
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Immigration Bot @immigrationbot.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
"The one in, one out deal is being wound down, after it returned around 1,400 people back to France, French officials say" — The Independent
independent.co.uk
UK’s flagship one in, one out migrant exchange deal with France ‘to end’
The one in, one out deal is being wound down, after it returned around 1,400 people back to France, French officials say
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CJ McKinney @cjmckinney.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
"The government expects the total arrivals across UK Resettlement and the 3 new community sponsorship routes to number in the hundreds at first, but this will grow into the low thousands as levels of illegal migration fall. A cap will be set each year." www.gov.uk/government/n...
gov.uk
UK Resettlement Scheme reopens for new referrals
The Home Secretary has reopened the UK Resettlement Scheme, with around a quarter of referrals expected to be Afghan women and girls and Palestinian refugees.
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CJ McKinney @cjmckinney.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
The timing was unfortunate in that respect.
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CJ McKinney @cjmckinney.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Written because we are asked all the time how many migrants are living in a certain area or constituency; article explains that the only comprehensive figures are from the census every ten years
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CJ McKinney @cjmckinney.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Home Secretary’s full speech to the Labour Party conference today: labour.org.uk/updates/stor...
labour.org.uk
Shabana Mahmood's speech to Labour Party Conference 2026 – The Labour Party
Hear from Shabana Mahmood, Home Secretary, at Labour Party Conference 2026.
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CJ McKinney @cjmckinney.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
"Mahmood will tell the Labour conference on Monday that she will reopen the UK [refugee] resettlement scheme... The Home Office expects about one in four arrivals to be Afghan women and girls and Palestinian refugees, though numbers will initially be very small". www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
theguardian.com
UK to open new refugee resettlement routes for Afghan women and Palestinians
Exclusive: Move by Shabana Mahmood comes after closure of Afghan scheme last year but experts say numbers too small to deter Channel crossings
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Immigration Bot @immigrationbot.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
The House of Commons Library published a briefing on 24 September 2026 on the United Kingdom aid budget and support for refugees in the United Kingdom from 2022 to 2026. It said the United Kingdom spent 18% of its aid budget supporting refugees in the United Kingdom in 2025.
updates.freemovement.org.uk
The UK aid budget and support for refugees in the UK, 2022 to 2026
Commons Library briefing, 24 Sep 2026. The UK spent 18% of its aid budget supporting refugees in the UK in 2025. Via Free Movement's Immigration Updates Dashboard.
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CJ McKinney @cjmckinney.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Local management information indicates that from the introduction of the [EU Settlement Scheme] in 2018 to 30 June 2026, 1,473 individuals have been notified that their pre-settled status was granted in error".
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CJ McKinney @cjmckinney.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Yes, having your MP write in has become institutionalised in immigration cases in a way that I don't think is the case for other departments
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Jon Featonby @jonfeatonby.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Interesting report by the Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee on how the Home Office managed to accidently delete a section of the immigration rules, and the workaround that highlights the lack of parliamentary scrutiny of the Home Secretary's powers publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld5902/ld...
publications.parliament.uk
House of Lords - Twelfth Report - Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee
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CJ McKinney @cjmckinney.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Citizenship tests are coming to Ireland, along with a longer residence period (eight years) before people qualify in the first place www.gov.ie/en/departmen...
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CJ McKinney @cjmckinney.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Updated this mostly to note that final decisions on the "earned settlement" policy of having migrants wait longer for permanent residence are coming "very soon", the Home Secretary says
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CJ McKinney @cjmckinney.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
The transcript of the Home Secretary's answers to questions from MPs on 15 September has now been published (Q53 onward for immigration): committees.parliament.uk/oralevidence...
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CJ McKinney @cjmckinney.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2026...
hansard.parliament.uk
Immigration and Asylum Bill (First sitting) - Hansard - UK Parliament
Hansard record of the item : 'Immigration and Asylum Bill (First sitting)' on Tuesday 15 September 2026.
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CJ McKinney @cjmckinney.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
A committee of MPs heard evidence on the Immigration and Asylum Bill this week. This is one important concern about the proposed new appeal system with non-lawyers as judges:
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Madeleine Sumption @msumption.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
How does immigration affect public finances? Is the OBR getting it right? Which migration policies are fiscally costly vs beneficial? Much enjoyed discussing all this - and my new book, "What is immigration policy for?" with @theifs.bsky.social on their excellent IFS Zooms In podcast
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Jasmine Quiller-Doust @jasminedoust.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Our reader survey is currently live and we’d love to hear from you. freemovement.org.uk/reader-surve...
freemovement.org.uk
The Free Movement reader survey 2026: how are we doing? - Free Movement
This week, we are running our sixth reader survey since we started surveying in 2013. We are very interested in what you think of Free Movement, and what you
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Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
'International students..."visa hoppers" and backpackers will be targeted under stricter rules announced by Australia...in a bid to curb immigration. Foreign students will no longer be able to bring their families with them and those who want to extend their stay must choose a higher qualification.
bbc.co.uk
Australia immigration crackdown: visas for international students and backpackers targeted
The government wants to reduce net overseas migration to 225,000 people by 2028.
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CJ McKinney @cjmckinney.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
She said they are looking to consolidate roughly 30 family/dependant routes and it's all very complicated.
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CJ McKinney @cjmckinney.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
PISA results suggest that “the UK will continue to have a ‘small boats‘ issue. Why on earth would a migrant - genuine refugee or not - want to stop in France? We offer them and their children a bright future, and France does not” timleunig.substack.com/p/pisa?r=27b...
timleunig.substack.com
PISA
The education test, not the place in Italy
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CJ McKinney @cjmckinney.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
"Staff told inspectors that Border Force gave priority to the management of queues over refusals casework and that they had experienced pressure from managers to grant passengers permission to enter the UK when they felt further examination was appropriate." www.gov.uk/government/p...
gov.uk
An inspection of refusals and cancellations of permission to enter the UK (September 2025 – February 2026)
This inspection report contains two recommendations.
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UK Constitutional Law Association @ukcla.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Chris Rowe: Requalifying Article 8: The Immigration and Asylum Bill ukconstitutionallaw.org/2026/09/10/c...
ukconstitutionallaw.org
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Colin Yeo @colinyeo.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
New tribunal stats are out this morning. Asylum appeals backlog is up but not by much - seems to have started to stabilise. Was 87,450 last quarter, is 90,341 this quarter www.gov.uk/government/s...
gov.uk
Tribunals statistics quarterly: April to June 2026
Type and volume of tribunal cases received, disposed of or outstanding. This also includes statistics on the Gender Recognition Certificate applied for and granted by HMCTS Gender Recognition Panel.
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CJ McKinney @cjmckinney.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
"500 granted family/private life out-of-country visas granted in January to December 2025". assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6a43e1.... I assume that includes successful appeals but unclear.
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
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Migration Observatory @migobs.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
UPDATED BRIEFING: Public opinion has become less supportive of immigration recently, but the picture is nuanced, and the UK is still more positive than many European neighbours UK Public Opinion toward Immigration: Overall Attitudes and Level of Concern migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk/resources/br...
migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk
UK Public Opinion toward Immigration: Overall Attitudes and Level of Concern - Migration Observatory
This briefing provides an overview of attitudes toward immigration in Britain.
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CJ McKinney @cjmckinney.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Possibly also the Court of Appeal decision in the IA and others case, which was late 2025, although the context there was out-of-country applications outside the rules which aren't as common
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CJ McKinney @cjmckinney.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
I helped out with this project a little - thought it went well and this video gives a good sense of how much the participants got into it on the day
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The Journal @thejournal.ie · 07/09/2026
Planned changes to the requirements for Irish citizenship will ensure that new citizens have an 'understanding' of Ireland and the country's values, the Taoiseach said today jrnl.ie/7154915
jrnl.ie
Citizenship rules to be tightened with longer residency and language test
Those seeking Irish citizenship will be required be resident in the country for eight years, up from the current five.
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Demos @demos-uk.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
📣 New Report | Your Voice on #Immigration What happens if you give people the time, information and space to discuss one of the most contested issues in British politics? 🗣️ ‘Your Voice on Immigration’ did just that. demos.co.uk/research/you...
demos.co.uk
Your Voice on Immigration: Report on the findings from public deliberation on work-related immigration for the home affairs committee
Demos is Britain’s leading cross-party think-tank. We produce original research, publish innovative thinkers and host thought-provoking events.
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CJ McKinney @cjmckinney.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
UN Refugee Agency says it's "concerned that the limitations on the interpretation of Article 8 ECHR proposed in the Bill could further restrict an important avenue through which refugee families may seek to preserve family unity". www.unhcr.org/uk/media/unh...
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CJ McKinney @cjmckinney.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Bonus eyebrow raise that the underlying criminal case took four and a half years
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CJ McKinney @cjmckinney.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
"Today, the gangs are quoting up to €2,000 (£1,700) per person. It used to be around €1,300 just a year ago. Their passengers also have to now pay in cash, to ensure commitment" www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Channel smuggling gangs resort to 'mega-dinghies' as crackdown limits small boat supply
Once-rival criminal groups are being forced to work together because of a shortage of small boats, a BBC investigation has found.
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CJ McKinney @cjmckinney.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Ah yeah, I see the rationale.
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CJ McKinney @cjmckinney.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
The statement of changes itself confirms that it needs to be a conclusive grounds decision, which takes ages, so people would presumably struggle in the meantime as I don't think a reasonable grounds decision gives the right to work.
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James Bowes @jamesbowes01.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
More main applicant long-term work visas for entry now granted to EU nationals than to South Asians and Africans combined. This is including health and care.
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CJ McKinney @cjmckinney.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Potentially quite a significant change for people who've lost their work visa sponsorship because of employer misconduct, although tied to formal recognition through the modern slavery system questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-stat...
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