Charities ask Home Secretary to tackle refugee backlog

Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, has been told that creating safe routes for refugees and dealing with a backlog in migrant claims is "worth dreaming about".

More than 110 refugee charities have signed an open letter to the Cabinet minister, calling for a "kind and effective system" for those seeking asylum in the UK.

It referred to comments made by Ms Braverman at a fringe event during the Conservative Party conference earlier this month, that her "dream" and "obsession" is seeing a plane taking off to Rwanda with migrants.

She has also said the only way for refugees to get into the UK is through a "safe and legal route".

The letter read: "Home Secretary, when you talk of 'safe and legal routes', you must be aware that it is impossible to ask refugees to come exclusively through such a path when even Afghan interpreters who are eligible for one of our few existing schemes remain in hiding from the Taliban.

"When you talk of 'illegal migrants', you must be aware that the top nationalities of people making dangerous journeys include Afghanistan, Eritrea and Syria, and that at least 97% of asylum claims made by people from these countries are successful.

"When you question the existence of 'modern slavery', you must be aware that you are dismantling your own party's proud and internationally-recognised achievement in protecting the survivors of trafficking.

"And when you complain about the cost of housing asylum seekers, you must be aware that, while people seeking safety did not choose to leave their homelands, they are willing to work and keen to contribute, if only the law permitted them.

"You have referred to this country's proud history of offering sanctuary, so we ask you to make this happen with a fair, kind and effective system for refugees.

"Deal with the backlog in asylum cases, create safe routes, respect international law, and the UN convention on refugees, and give refugees a fair hearing, however they get here. Then you would have really done something worth dreaming about."

The letter, co-ordinated by charity IMIX and coalition campaign Together With Refugees, was signed by groups such as Choose Love, Christian Aid, City of Sanctuary UK, Doctors of the World, English National Opera, Freedom from Torture, Good Chance Theatre, JCORE, Jesuit Refugee Service, Rainbow Migration, Refugee Action, Refugee Council, Scottish Refugee Council, Safe Passage and Save the Children.

It came as almost 1,000 migrants arrived in the UK after crossing the Channel on Saturday.

Earlier this month, Ms Braverman said migrants crossing the Channel will face a ban from claiming asylum in Britain.

'12 years of hardship'

Sonya Sceats, chief executive of Freedom from Torture, said: "Every day in our therapy rooms torture survivors tell us about the hardship that 12 years of anti-refugee policies have caused them. Suella Braverman's policy proposals promise to intensify their cruelty.

"Braverman's dream of flying refugees to Rwanda by Christmas seems even further from realisation, after the airline hired to carry out the fights bowed to pressure from Freedom from Torture and pulled out of the scheme.

"This letter shows the depth of feeling against the Government's anti-refugee policies and that there are positive alternatives possible."

A Home Office spokesperson said: "The UK has a proud history of providing protection for those who genuinely need it through our safe and legal routes, recently welcoming hundreds of thousands of people from Hong Kong, Afghanistan and Ukraine.

"The public rightly expects us to control immigration, at a time when the number of people arriving in the UK via small boats has reached record levels, placing pressure on the asylum system and stretching our capacity to support those in need.

"We are using every tool at our disposal to deter illegal migration, disrupt the business model of people smugglers and relocate to Rwanda, those with no right to be in the UK."

Attack on migrant centre

Incendiary devices have been thrown at a Border Force migrant centre in Dover.

Kent Police were called at 11.22am on Sunday to The Viaduct, where two to three incendiary devices had caused a fire.

A suspect was identified and located at a nearby petrol station where he was confirmed dead, police said.

The Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit attended the location to ensure there were no further threats and another device was found and confirmed safe within the suspect's vehicle, police said.

Two people inside the migrant centre reported minor injuries and the site remained open although 700 people were moved to Manston asylum processing centre in Kent for safety reasons during the initial stage of the investigation, police said.

A Reuters photographer said a man threw petrol bombs with fireworks attached before killing himself.

The attacker was described as a white man wearing a striped top, who drove up to the centre in a white Seat four-wheel drive vehicle, the agency reported.

A local MP later said the individual had taken their own life.

By the afternoon the scene had been cordoned off and forensic teams were working in the area.

The incident came after almost 1,000 migrants arrived in the UK after crossing the Channel on Saturday.

Immigration minister, Robert Jenrick, said in a tweet on Sunday that he had visited Manston amid growing concerns about its poor conditions.

The allegedly overcrowded facility left Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration David Neal "speechless" earlier this week.

Mr Neal told MPs that Manston was originally meant to hold between 1,000 and 1,600 people but there were 2,800 at the site when he visited on Monday, with more arriving.

A Home Office spokesman said: "We are aware of an incident at Western Jet Foil, Dover, and police are in attendance.

"It would not be appropriate to comment further at this stage."

Kent Fire and Rescue Service confirmed its crews had put out fires.

Natalie Elphicke, the Conservative MP for Dover, said she was "deeply shocked".

She later told LBC radio: "I understand that the Dover immigration centre that is at the Port of Dover was firebombed with a number of devices, before an individual then committed suicide."

She said the motivation of the perpetrator is so far unknown, but the centre is "a well-known facility" where small boats arrive before people are taken to the Manston.

"It's an absolutely dreadful situation that we have now at Dover," she added.

"I understand that all the people who are at the centre are being looked after and precautions are being made for their safety."

Ms Elphicke also said: "I think it is fair to say that tensions have been running high over the last period.

"And indeed, I'd raised my concerns about that with the immigration minister earlier this week."

Home Secretary Suella Braverman tweeted: "There was a distressing incident in Dover earlier today.

"I am receiving regular updates on the situation.

"My thoughts are with those affected, the tireless Home Office staff and police responding.

"We must now support those officers as they carry out their investigation."

Hear the latest news on Downtown on FM, DAB, smart speaker or the Rayo app.

• migrant centre