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UN refugee agency hits out at Priti Patel's plans for UK asylum overhaul

Home secretary says migrants who arrive in UK by illegal routes will be indefinitely liable for removal
The UK home secretary, Priti Patel, is misrepresenting international law to push her hardline agenda against asylum seekers as she unveils a sweeping set of punishing proposals, the UN’s refugee agency has suggested.
In what has been billed as the biggest overhaul of the UK’s asylum system in decades, Patel has pledged to remove people who enter the UK illegally having travelled through a “safe country” in which they could and should have claimed asylum.
However, a spokesperson for the UNHCR, which serves as the guardian of the 1951 convention relating to the status of refugees and its 1967 protocol, a piece of international legislation to which the UK is a party, said: “Anyone seeking asylum should be able to claim in their intended destination or another safe country.”
He said while it was correct that the convention did not provide “an unfettered right to choose a country of asylum”, it does not “oblige asylum seekers to apply in the first safe country they encounter”.
“Some claimants have very legitimate reasons to seek protection in specific countries, including family or other links,” he added.
An application for asylum from someone who has been through a country in which they would have had access to a fair procedure under the convention may be ruled inadmissible provided they are readmitted to that country and its asylum procedure and if there are no compelling reasons for that person to remain in their country of intended destination, the spokesperson said.
Article 31 of the convention bans punishing refugees or asylum seekers if they come directly from a territory where they were threatened, present themselves without delay and have good reasons for entry. But it is not meant “to suggest that claims must be presented in the first country reached outside their own”.
The spokesperson said: “Travel is often circuitous, by land or sea, with possible interruptions for any number of reasons. Article 31 refers to refugees who had already settled in another country and then moved for personal convenience.”
Patel insisted on Wednesday that her proposals were in line with the refugee convention, international law and the European convention on human rights.
She said the government intended to “expand safe and legal routes options” to create “the right pathway for them to come to the UK and be resettled and start a new life here”, but she did not provide any detail.
Patel’s plans mean anyone arriving illegally will be further punished with limited family reunion rights and limited access to benefits.
This week it was reported that migrants who come to the UK through a safe and legal resettlement route, conversely, will get indefinite leave to remain immediately upon arriving in the UK under the plans.
Under current laws, resettled refugees can stay in the UK for five years, after which they must apply again for indefinite leave to remain.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Patel was asked whether it was fair to discriminate against those who arrive illegally but have a perfectly good case for asylum.
She said: “They will also have a perfectly acceptable case to be given asylum in safe countries they have travelled from, such as Italy and Belgium … these are not war zones but safe countries.”
She added that the current approach was “playing into the hands of people smugglers and criminals”.
When asked whether she had managed to agree on any returns deals with EU countries to make her new asylum plans work, Patel said the UK was “in discussions” and that EU states should agree to such deals because they had a “moral duty”.
She said: “We are speaking to EU member states right now and having negotiations … They have a moral duty to save lives and stop people being trafficked through their countries.”
In an interview with BBC Breakfast earlier on Wednesday, Patel responded to criticism from the British Red Cross that her new system was “inhumane”. She said: “What is inhumane is allowing people to be smuggled through illegal migration, and that is what we want to stop.
“The Red Cross, the UNHCR and other agencies, they are partner organisations, we will work with them to create safe and legal routes so we can stop this terrible, terrible trade in people being smuggled.”
It has also been reported that asylum seekers could be shipped overseas while their claims are processed. However, this was not discussed in a press statement on the proposals.
A Home Office spokesperson said: “Our New Plan for Immigration is in line with international obligations including the Refugee Convention. To suggest otherwise is wrong.
“Our new system will ensure those with genuine need can get support, rather than favouring those who can afford to pay people smugglers or game the system.”
source: Jamie Grierson
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BENEFIT AGM approves 10%...
- March 27, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).
Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.
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