Business of the House

Bobby Dean Excerpts

Thursday 15th January 2026 Commons Chamber

[Madam Deputy Speaker]

I call the Liberal Democrat spokesperson.

[Bobby Dean (Carshalton and Wallington) (LD)]

There are rumours circulating around Westminster of a Bobby about to join the Reform party. I just want to clarify that it is not me. I am staying put. I quite enjoy watching the numbers to the right of me dwindle.

We talk a lot in this place about the Home Office, immigration and asylum. Mostly, we talk about people’s right to come here and the shameful asylum backlog. We talk much less about the people who are already here—the ones who have built their lives, held down jobs, paid taxes, raised a family and contributed. I think the story of immigration in this country is largely a positive one, and it is sad that that is not said enough in this place. If you have worked hard and played by the rules, you deserve to be treated with respect.

Unfortunately, the Home Office is treating many visa holders seeking to settle here with disrespect. People who have lived here for years—sometimes over a decade—are being made to wait years, sometimes subject to indefinite service standards, for answers about their future in this country. Recently, the Home Office has even taken to lecturing people with the line that citizenship is a privilege and not a right, as if to say how dare they ask about remaining in a country they have contributed to for so long. Will the Leader of the House bring this to the attention of Home Office Ministers and urge them to review their service standards and treat these people with a bit more respect?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right to highlight the positive impact of immigration, but he also has to be cognisant of the concern about levels of immigration, which the Government are taking seriously. We have made it absolutely clear that no one should have to wait a long time to hear about a decision, and the Home Office is implementing reforms. However, there was a considerable backlog when we came into office, and that extends not only to making decisions but to making sure that people hear about them in a reasonable timeframe. Significant progress has been made in reducing the decision backlog, with the number of people awaiting an initial decision down by more than half from the June 2023 peak, but if the hon. Gentleman has specific cases that he wishes me to raise, I will certainly raise them with the relevant Minister, as I will his general concern.