Duty to accept more Afghan refugees in the UK

IN AUGUST, the world watched in horror as terrified Afghans clambered on to the last planes leaving Kabul airport following the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan. The country is now under the control of the Taliban and those who have helped the UK and its allies, but have no means of escape, are at serious risk of being targeted and killed.

The UK Government has promised to settle 20,000 Afghans over the next five years, a paltry number from a country that spent £27.7 billion on military operations in Afghanistan over the last 20 years but refuses to acknowledge its role in this crisis by welcoming its victims. Despite this ongoing catastrophe, the UK Government is ploughing ahead with its Nationality and Borders Bill. This Bill will mean refugees are judged, not by their need or the level of danger they face in their home country, but essentially by the method of transport they used to get here. Refugees will be criminalised for using “unofficial routes” while organisations like the RNLI could also be charged for rescuing people from sinking boats. To be clear, the UK Government will be in breach of its international obligations once again, this time to the Refugee Convention, which recognises irregular routes as official entry. If the UK Government thinks Afghans should be catching Ryanair flights from Kabul airport, I have news for them.

We must accept more displaced Afghans, 80% of whom are women and children. Refugees escaping one punishment in their own country should not face another upon arrival here.