Sanctuary is enough

THIS was a hugely complicated case, turning on the legal definition of torture. But the effect of the High Court’s ruling against the Government is painfully clear. It opens the way to hundreds of compensation claims by asylum seekers who say they suffered torture in their homelands and should therefore not have been held in British detention centres while their applications were processed. This paper has huge sympathy with genuine victims of torture, however defined – and every humane instinct tells us we owe them the sanctuary of our shores.

But isn’t it downright baffling that they should be judged entitled to British taxpayers’ compensation too?

YES, the Mail would have preferred a quicker and cleaner Brexit. But how foolish of Eurosceptic MPs to kick up a fuss about the planned two-year transition period. After 45 years of subjection to European judges, another couple will be a mere blink of history’s eye. The great thing is that Brexit is going ahead – and barring Remoaners’ treachery, separation will be complete before the next election.