The House of Commons yesterday approved Priti Patel's immigration bill by 351 votes to 252, meaning it's one step closer to becoming law.
Patel's bill, which would replace EU freedom of movement, has been widely criticised since it was announced in February, in particular for its definition of what an "unskilled" worker is.
Since lockdown, this has become an even more prominent issue, with many people pointing out that it's these workers that Patel wants to keep out of the country which have been propping it up for the past months.
Shortly after the vote, the home secretary tweeted about the bill, saying – presumably sans irony – that: "We’re ending free movement to open Britain up to the world."
We’re ending free movement to open Britain up to the world. It will ensure people can come to our country based o… https://t.co/suneUYoe99— Priti Patel (@Priti Patel) 1589821842
Although not all political activity can be expected to stop because of the pandemic, people still found it to be pretty distasteful and heartless, given the circumstances, to be tweeting about how great it is to keep people away from our borders at a time that calls for solidarity.
I'm not saying Priti Patel is the fucking antichrist but https://t.co/In37HDsFB7— dan hett (@dan hett) 1589838557
The other 3 horsemen of the apocalypse won't talk to Priti Patel, cos they think she's a dick.— Russ Jones (@Russ Jones) 1589839866
Today the Tories are bringing their #ImmigrationBill back to Westminster. The same keyworkers we clap every Thursda… https://t.co/fsR7M8zQ10— Katrina Faccenda (@Katrina Faccenda) 1589797069
@pritipatel Horrible, cruel and absolutely stupid move.— James Lehmann (@James Lehmann) 1589859756
@pritipatel You are a despicable and heartless human being. At a time when a number of people who are going to be a… https://t.co/lZT6JaF9KP— Pranay Jeyachandran (@Pranay Jeyachandran) 1589835235
And no one was buying the idea that making it harder to come to the UK would somehow "open Britain up" to the world.
@pritipatel You're ending free movement for us!!! Why are you so proud to be trashing the opportunities and life… https://t.co/JhtKmcEAxi— Mal Reed #3.5% #FBcoalition2024 #FBPE (@Mal Reed #3.5% #FBcoalition2024 #FBPE) 1589831943
@pritipatel You forget millions of us wanted FoM, it's a huge benefit and we could always control immigration outwi… https://t.co/jRiAkPYGNO— claire savage 🇪🇺 #FBPE 🕯💙 (@claire savage 🇪🇺 #FBPE 🕯💙) 1589823800
Did I hear right that earlier in Parliament, Home Sec Priti Patel referred to the Gov's new legislation as the "Peo… https://t.co/vyZIUj8XZx— Tony T 🐕...🌹...🎣 (@Tony T 🐕...🌹...🎣) 1589832459
The same old criticism of the bill itself started kicking off. Starting with all the people who would have been turned away based on the regulations, including Patel's own parents.
@pritipatel Based on what they happen to be earning. We’d have turned down Einstein. And your own parents.— Paul Lomax (@Paul Lomax) 1589848132
If the kind of immigration restrictions and hurdles that Priti Patel is so keen on had been applied to her own pare… https://t.co/ydC0FQKJe9— Mehdi Hasan (@Mehdi Hasan) 1589846210
They’re not ‘foreign’ when they save your life but they’re ‘foreign’ when they need their life saving. https://t.co/UtV4lXOeCT— Dr Nisreen Alwan 🌻 (@Dr Nisreen Alwan 🌻) 1589611078
And all the much much better ways the Tories could collect funds if they really wanted to.
@markjj41 @pritipatel Everything you complain about is because the Government don’t invest in infrastructure, maybe… https://t.co/lolJaVwdJo— BertieScarlet💙🏴🇪🇺🇪🇸 (@BertieScarlet💙🏴🇪🇺🇪🇸) 1589837135
People were angry for all the people it would exclude.
People welcoming Priti Patel’s immigration bill, describing people as ‘unskilled’. Nobody is unskilled, as we shoul… https://t.co/UfSPvTGqWz— G’sus (@G’sus) 1589831772
Last week it was revealed that the home office had no intention of reviewing the surcharge which foreign workers (including NHS workers) are forced to pay on top of their taxes to access the NHS. The Independent reported that this could cost up to £8,000 for a family of four on a four-year visa.