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Hello, I'm Alicia McCarthy. Thanks for downloading the yesterday in Parliament podcast.

On Monday the 1st of September, it was the first day back at Westminster for MPs,

and there was a lot to catch up on after the summer recess.

The start of September means back to school for some and back to work for

many more. And after a blistering few months, a slew of ministers were in the commons to give MPs

a start of term update. First, the Home Secretary on the issue that's dominated the long hot summer,

asylum. Yvette Cooper said that under the new one-in-one-out deal with France,

the first returns across the channel were expected later this month.

On top of that, while a new system was being worked out,

there'd be a change the rules around asylum seekers bringing their families to the UK.

To temporarily suspend new applications under the

existing dedicated refugee family reunion route, until the new framework is introduced, refugees will

be covered by the same family migration rules and conditions as everyone else.

The Shadow Home Secretary, the Conservative Chris Philp, reckoned what he called tweaks to the system,

such as the changes to family reunion rules, weren't going to make a difference.

If someone enters this country illegally, they should not be allowed to bring in any family members.

In fact, everybody, everybody, everybody entering this country illegally should be immediately

removed. A former Lib Dem leader Tim Farron reckoned part of the answer was to provide more

safe routes for refugees to come to the UK. Isn't it just cruel madness to restrict family

reunion one of the few safe routes that actually

currently exist?

...