KEIR Starmer has berated the UK government’s planned resettlement scheme for Afghan refugees.
During the debate in the Commons, the Labour leader said the Prime Minister’s judgement over the situation has been “appalling”, and challenged foreign secretary Dominic Raab for remaining on holiday while Kabul fell.
He questioned the preparation of the government for the unfolding crisis, and asked where the Home Office had drawn its figures from on the number of refugees it is preparing to accept from the country.
Last night it was announced that as many as 20,000 refugees are expected to come to the UK after the Taliban takeover, with 5000 coming within a year.
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Mr Starmer questioned whether the figure had been “plucked out of thin air”, and added: “The gains through 20 years of sacrifice hang precariously.
“Women and girls fear for their liberty, Afghan civilians are holding on to the undercarriage of Nato aircraft literally clinging to departing hope and we face new threats to our security and an appalling humanitarian crisis.”
He added: “The scale of the refugee crisis requires an international response, but we must lead it, and lead with a resettlement programme that meets the scale of the challenge. The scheme must be generous and welcoming.
If it's not, we know the consequences. We know the consequences now, violent reprisals in Afghanistan…People practically playing into the arms of human traffickers.
“We know this is what will happen for people risking and losing their lives on unsafe journeys, including across the English Channel.”
Green MP Caroline Lucas said the situation in Afghanistan should represent a “turning point” for the UK’s new plan for immigration.
She said: “This disaster must mark a turning point for our failed asylum system, in particular, getting rid of the so called hostile environment, and the nationality and borders bill under which a woman fleeing the Taliban with her children on a boat across the channel would be criminalised.”
Continuing, Mr Starmer turned to the actions of the foreign secretary, who was on holiday in a luxury Cyprus hotel until Sunday night – after the Taliban had taken control of Kabul.
Mr Starmer said: “The British government were wrong and complacent; the Prime Minister was wrong and complacent.
“When he wasn't rewriting history the Prime Minister was displaying the same appalling judgement and complacency. Last week the response of the British ambassador to the Taliban arriving at the gates of Kabul was to personally process the paperwork for those that needed to flee. He is still there. And we thank him.
“The Prime Minister's response to the Taliban arriving at the gates of Kabul was to go on holiday - No sense of the gravity of the situation. No leadership to drive international effort evacuation.”
He addressed Mr Raab, saying: “The foreign secretary shakes his head now but he stayed on holiday while our mission in Afghanistan was disintegrating.
“He didn't even speak to ambassadors in the region as Kabul fell to the Taliban.
“You cannot coordinate an international response from the beach.”
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