Refugee Law in the United Kingdom is undergoing a moment of profound change. This change is clearly visible with both the Nationality and Borders Act 2022 and the Illegal Migration Act 2023 enacted within the last two years. As such, it is argued that we are currently witnessing a fundamental shift in the underlying conception of international protection in the UK. Through an engagement with contemporary legislative enactments, political statements, and judicial decisions, this paper critically considers an emerging new logic of refugee status determination in the UK. Specifically, I chart the UK's shift from the highly individualist conception of the refugee deployed within the Refugee Convention to a series of bespoke arrangements targeting those experiencing particular forms of crisis as the proper recipients of international protection. In examining this shift, the paper identifies particular minority groups, such as sexual and gender minorities, who are increasingly left outside the scope of international protection recognised by the United Kingdom.
Powell, Alex
School of Law and Social Sciences
Year of publication: 2024Date of RADAR deposit: 2023-11-20