The previous Conservative government did great damage to our asylum system. Now the Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, proposes to make the system even worse. One after another, restrictions have been added to the UK asylum system, additional hurdles for those fleeing persecution to surmount.
We know that not all asylum seekers are genuine (but a clear majority are). Many are fleeing persecution and possibly the prospect of death if they remain in their home country.
The asylum system as agreed internationally and put in place decades ago is unconditional.
Once a seeker has convinced the authorities that he or she is ‘bone fide’, then no further requirements should be placed on that individual. This was true of the UK system 15 years ago. As a putative respecter of international law, the British government should revert to that.
John Cole, Oakroyd Terrace, Baildon