‘Open up our country’: Politicians across north London challenge Whitehall over visas for Turkish and Syrian nationals

Buildings in Turkey after the earthquake. Photograph: Hilmi Hacaloğlu / Wikicommons

Council chiefs across north London are urging the government to take action over visas for people from Turkey and Syria affected by last month’s earthquakes.

Islington leader Cllr Kaya Comer-Schwartz is among those calling on Home Secretary Suella Braverman to allow visa extension applications from Turkish and Syrian nationals in the UK on compassionate grounds – particularly for people whose visas are set to expire but cannot go home.

Local politicians also want the government to speed up decisions for those waiting to enter the UK and to set up a programme of temporary visas.

Cllr Comer-Schwartz stated in a letter: “This way, the UK could play its part in supporting a region that is suffering so much right now and our community can try to be reunited with their loved ones.”

Islington, Hackney, Haringey and Enfield have large Turkish, Kurdish and Syrian communities who have been bereaved by the earthquakes and are fundraising to support relief work.

Others have family and friends “left without shelter or supplies and need urgent assistance” and they are desperate about their welfare.

The letter, which was also signed by Hackney’s mayor Philip Glanville, Haringey leader Peray Ahmet and Enfield’s cabinet member for community safety Gina Needs along with other senior colleagues, described the “heart-warming” response in north London.

They said: “People in our boroughs are determined to help in any way we can right now and we urge the government to open up our country to those in need.”

They told the Home Secretary: “Our boroughs have a long history of welcoming those in need. Many are working towards becoming Boroughs of Sanctuary and local people opened their homes last year to those affected by the war in Ukraine.

“As we are now seeing another humanitarian emergency unfold, we are keen to help in any way we can. There could be millions of people displaced by the tragedy and it will be a long time before their homes, villages and communities are rebuilt.”

At a recent vigil held outside Islington Town Hall, MP Jeremy Corbyn criticised the government for being slow to act on visas.

The Islington North MP said “more could have and should have been done”.