Sunday 30/November/2025 – 05:27 AM
British MP Dawn Butler has led calls for humanitarian visas and fee waivers for vulnerable relatives of UK nationals affected by the storm that hit Jamaica.
Members of the British Parliament joined campaigns demanding the provision of more aid and humanitarian visas to Jamaicans wishing to enter Britain, after Hurricane Melissa destroyed large parts of the country and caused a humanitarian crisis that affected hundreds of thousands.
The United Kingdom pledged support of 7.5 million pounds sterling to Jamaica and other islands affected by the hurricane, but many saw that Britain had a moral obligation to do more for its former Caribbean colonies.
Britain and the flood crisis
Butler, the Labor MP for Brent East and chair of the Jamaica Joint Parliamentary Group, posted a letter on X to the Home Secretary, requesting temporary humanitarian visas and fee waivers for vulnerable relatives of UK nationals affected by the hurricane.
Butler said an emergency meeting held in her constituency, which has one of the largest Jamaican communities in the UK, saw calls for visa restrictions for children and elderly people affected by the hurricane to be eased to allow them to stay with relatives in Britain.
Her letter read: The United Kingdom has a long and deep-rooted relationship with Jamaica, and I am confident that through compassion and cooperation we can play an important role in supporting those most in need during this difficult time.
Diane Abbott, MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington, supported Butler’s demands, stressing that Jamaica needs long-term support.
