Songs of Praise’s illegal refugee

RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS EDITOR BBC’s is to run a special feature on a man who came to the UK illegally through the Channel Tunnel.

The young Ethiopian, called Biniyam, was among a group of Christian asylum seekers who appeared in the programme last year when it visited the “jungle” migrant camp in Calais and spoke of his determination to get to Britain to start a new life. Today’s show reveals he is living in Britain. He speaks of seeing a mother and baby drowning in the Mediterranean and how he now plans to train as a nurse.

The programme focuses on Brexit and features interviews with churchgoers on both sides of the debate in Boston, Lincs.

They include worshippers who take part in Polish language services at a Roman Catholic Church and a Ukip councillor from the same church who complains she no longer recognises Britain because of the presence of foreigners. Presenter Sally Magnusson, who visited the Calais camp last year, has a surprise reunion with Biniyam at an English class at Bethel Community Church in Newport, South Wales, where he was sent by the Home Office.

Biniyam tells Ms Magnusson that he came to Britain illegally, believing he would have been refused permission to stay in France. He now has leave to remain after persuading the Home Office that he would have been at risk in his home country.