Refugee charity coalition Asylum Reform Initiative has named Fairtrade Foundation chief executive Eleanor Harrison as its next chair.

The alliance of charities was set up four years ago and is the UK’s largest refugee coalition with 600 members, including the Refugee Council, British Red Cross and Refugee Action.

“With a summer of far-right riots, cuts to the aid budget and growth in anti-immigration rhetoric around the world, the fight for fairness and equality is under greater threat than ever before,” said Harrison, who has previously spent six years as vice chair of NGO group Bond.

She is also a former chief executive of GlobalGiving UK and in 2016 she received an OBE for services to international development.

A priority of the coalition’s board under her chairmanship will be to support lobbying around the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill as it makes its way through parliament.

This is being introduced by the government to bolster efforts to tackle people smuggling gangs. It also repeals controversial measures brought in by the previous Conservative administration aiming to move refugees to Rwanda.

Harrison added: “United action from its 600 strong membership has never been more important than it is now.

“Having campaigned hard to win the abolition of the scheme to send refugees to Rwanda and the indefinite detention of child refugees, we know the power of standing together.

“Their ending is testimony to the dedication and tenacity of this movement and I will work hard to champion collective action in response to the latest asylum bill.

“I am deeply committed to ensuring our members' voices, particularly those with direct experience as refugees, are at the heart of this action, our decisions and leadership.”

Angela McLeary, who sits on the coalition’s governance group, added: “To bring people together who are from local communities and national campaign organisations alongside those who have experienced the system is powerful.

“And right now it is critical that we use our voices to bring positive change with a fair new plan for refugees.

“I am delighted to welcome Eleanor to her new role and look forward to working together to secure deep and long-term change.”

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