I have discussed the matter of refugees before and Suella Braverman was found lost for words when it came to discussing what safe and legal routes exist for asylum seekers from abroad. I am proud of how we welcomed Ukrainian refugees to our nation, many of whom were in safe nations outside Ukraine. I am ashamed how we are not doing this for others.
Our government points out that there is a safe and legal route for asylum seekers from nations like Afghanistan. But thousands of Afghans who helped British forces remain stranded by by inaction by our government and many journalists who face persecution are also being left as well. In February it was reported that only 22 Afghans had been resettled in UK under a ‘pathway’ to help vulnerable refugees and many who have fled to Pakistan face injustice there.
I have brought this up (again) as this was discussed in the House of Lords and the current government stance was deemed morally unacceptable. Unlike many on the left, I am in favour of deporting those who cross the channel to nations like Rwanda and I am in favour of stricter criteria of refugees which would mean many from Albania would be denied refugee status. Unlike our government, I want the need to channel crossings to be dealt with by having a safe and legal route for refugees to have claims heard while in France. This would have to be one that would have the capacity to process claims in a speedy and accurate manner as opposed to taking months. It is insane that we have a situation where an Afghan pilot had to come here by taking a boat across the channel to seek asylum because they were not able to access the safe and legal route that the government has put in place to say that there is one.
