Usually, those seeking protection in Europe have the right to apply for asylum. But Great Britain wants to limit this right as much as possible. The radical plans met with horror.
With its planned tightening of asylum laws, the British government is embarking on a controversial course. The boats that are bringing tens of thousands to our shores will be stopped, said Home Secretary Suella Braverman, who introduced the new law to London’s House of Commons on Tuesday. We have pushed the limits of international law to resolve this crisis, she previously confessed to the Telegraph.
In concrete terms, almost all migrants who enter the country without official permission are initially to be held in accommodation such as former military bases or student dormitories. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak told journalists that those affected should be expelled to Rwanda or other countries within weeks. The right to apply for asylum should be taken away from them. The plans could violate the European Convention on Human Rights. Sunak stressed that he was ready to push his plans through in court.
The Conservative British government describes the arrivals as illegal. According to the UN Refugee Convention, however, every persecuted person has the right to apply for asylum in a safe country of their choice – regardless of how they get there. This agreement also applies to Great Britain.
Sunak defended the plan. Failure to stop unwanted immigration will limit the ability to help genuine refugees in the future, he said. I understand that there will be discussions about the severity of these measures. All I can say is we tried every other way and it didn’t work.
