UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – UK MPs urge more aid and humanitarian visas as Jamaica faces mass destruction, supporting affected Jamaicans and struggling communities.
As reported by The Guardian, after the widespread damage caused by Hurricane Melissa, British MPs have joined calls for expanded aid and fast-tracked humanitarian visas as Jamaica faces a deepening crisis.
The UK has committed £7.5m in emergency relief for Jamaica and other storm-hit islands, but critics argue Britain has a moral duty to offer far greater support to its former Caribbean territories.
What did MPs say about humanitarian aid for hurricane-hit Jamaica?
Labour MP for Brent East and head of the UK’s Jamaica parliamentary group, Dawn Butler, wrote to the home secretary and posted the letter on X seeking temporary humanitarian visas and fee waivers for vulnerable relatives of British nationals affected by the hurricane.
She stated on X,
“I’ve heard from hundreds of residents worried sick about family in Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa. I’ve written to the Home Secretary urging a temporary humanitarian visa or fee waiver so vulnerable relatives can reach safety.”
I’ve heard from hundreds of residents worried sick about family in Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa.
— Dawn Butler ✊🏾💙 (@DawnButlerBrent) November 20, 2025
I’ve written to the Home Secretary urging a temporary humanitarian visa or fee waiver so vulnerable relatives can reach safety.
Prayers for Jamaica 🇯🇲👇🏾 pic.twitter.com/jZPdXAxsbz
At an emergency meeting in her constituency, Ms Butler noted strong support for relaxing visa restrictions and urged the government to ease requirements for hurricane-hit children and seniors to stay with relatives in Britain.
The letter says,
“The UK has a long and enduring relationship with Jamaica and I am confident that, with compassion and collaboration, we can play a vital role in supporting those most in need during the difficult period.”
Diane Abbott, MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington, supported Ms Butler’s appeal and highlighted that Jamaica faces a pressing need for long-term support.
She said,
“I think when the hurricane first hit, the immediate anxiety over here was to bring back the tourists. And once the tourists had come back, it kind of fell away from the public eye. And there was a sense as well that it was essentially a short-term project.”
Ms Abbott added,
“People need to understand the gravity of the situation. And that it’s going to take a long time and a lot of resources to [rebuild] Black River and [other affected] districts.”
What did activists say about UK support for hurricane-hit Jamaica?
Windrush activist Euen Herbert-Small urged the UK to provide humanitarian protection for Jamaicans, comparable to that given to Ukrainians under the Homes for Ukraine sponsorship program.
Herbert-Small, who has started a petition, is urging the UK to grant humanitarian visas to Jamaicans affected by Hurricane Melissa, saying,
“Jamaica is a Commonwealth country. The king is head of state. Ukraine doesn’t have those same historical and present links. And so there is a greater responsibility to support Jamaica, which has strong historical ties with this country and has made this country wealthy over the years. We did it for Ukraine. We can definitely do it for Jamaica.”
Rosalea Hamilton, CEO of the nonprofit Lasco Chin Foundation, which has been aiding hurricane-hit communities in Jamaica, echoed Herbert-Small’s call, highlighting the urgent need for support on the ground.
She said,
“The king is our head of state and there is an expectation on the part of ordinary Jamaicans that … it ought to mean that in a time of crisis, there is at least some kind of a special consideration or something that would flow from the fact that he’s still head of state.”
Ms Hamilton added that the UK’s modest aid “further undermines the belief that we should continue to recognize” King Charles as head of state.
The Global Afro-Descendant Climate Justice Collaborative said Hurricane Melissa’s impact on Cuba, Haiti, and Jamaica highlights how African-descended communities are disproportionately affected by centuries of environmental harm.
It said,
“Global warming began with the Industrial Revolutions that were made possible by the resources provided by imperialism, colonialism and enslavement.”
The Green Party also called for more support for Jamaica, linking the climate crisis to the legacy of slavery. A party spokesperson said Britain has a “major historical responsibility” toward affected communities.
Ellie Chowns said,
“We, as a country, have got to go further and faster to meet our obligations under our international climate targets, but also recognising that wider moral responsibility for the effects of hundreds of years of burning fossil fuels and the warming that that has led to now.”
She added,
“That, coupled with the legacy of slavery, simply can’t be ignored as part of the context of Hurricane Melissa and similar disasters affecting the Caribbean.
What did Jamaica’s officials say about aid after Hurricane Melissa?
Pearnel Charles, Jamaica’s minister of labour and social security, said authorities are providing aid to affected communities and assessing both housing damage and long-term support needs, including mental health services.
He stated,
“Our social workers are consistently on the ground, and we continue to open up our hotlines to ensure that if we get that information we attend to it as quickly as possible.”
Jamaica is also facing a deadly leptospirosis outbreak, with 91 suspected cases and 11 confirmed deaths.
The country’s health minister, Dr Christopher Tufton, said,
“We had to declare an outbreak because of the spike in the number of cases when compared to usual times.”
According to him, healthcare facilities are prepared to detect and manage cases of the disease.
Recent reports indicate that around 1 million of Jamaica’s 2.8 million residents were affected by the hurricane, with nearly 150,000 homes damaged or destroyed. Prime Minister Andrew Holness estimated the losses at around US$8bn (£6bn).
How is the UK providing medical assistance in hurricane-hit Jamaica?
After a request from the Government of Jamaica, Britain has deployed its Emergency Medical Team to deliver life-saving care and assist in recovery efforts.
The UK has deployed a 12-member team of GPs, nurses, midwives, and logistics experts to Jamaica to provide life-saving care and support recovery, with the first clinics opening on Monday, 17 November.
The British medical team will provide urgent care, maternal health services, and hospital referrals, strengthening local healthcare and supporting Jamaica’s recovery. Mobile clinics will also be established in areas where services have been severely disrupted.
When did Hurricane Melissa hit Jamaica?
Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica on October 28, 2025. The storm struck at approximately 1:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time (17:00 UTC).
The hurricane came ashore near the towns of New Hope and Belmont in Westmoreland Parish as an extremely dangerous Category 5 storm with sustained winds of 185 mph. It caused widespread damage across the island, affecting homes and infrastructure.