SNP SPOKESPERSON CALLS FOR CLARITY AFTER HOME AFFAIRS COMMITTEE REVELATION
Alison Thewliss, the SNP’s Home Affairs Spokesperson, has demanded an explanation for comments made by former Home Secretary, Suella Braverman in an article for the Telegraph.
In this article, Suella Braverman claimed: “While at the Home Office, I became aware of churches around the country facilitating industrial-scale bogus asylum claims.”
Thewliss submitted a Written Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for the Home Department:
‘To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the article by the former Secretary of State for the Home Department, the Rt hon. Member for Fareham, entitled Too many churches are facilitating bogus asylum claims. This must stop, published by the Telegraph on 3 February 2024, whether his Department holds evidence of churches facilitating high levels of false asylum claims.’
In his written response, Tom Pursglove MP, the Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery), said:
‘Every asylum case is determined on its individual merits and on a case by case basis. The Home Secretary and the Church are working together to better scrutinise asylum claims based on religious persecution and ensure those in genuine need are supported, and that there are no loopholes to claiming asylum in this country.’
In the Home Affairs Committee today, Thewliss grilled the Minister about the lack of answer provided to the question put to the UK Government.
During this discussion, the Minister highlighted that he couldn’t give a definitive answer on Ms Braverman’s claims, nor had he been presented with any such evidence.
Commenting, Alison Thewliss MP said:
“This is yet another deeply concerning moment for the integrity of politics in the UK.
“Neither the Minister nor his officials could provide a shred of evidence today to support Ms Braverman’s wild claims. If she can’t provide any detail to back up her accusations, she must now apologise and retract her damaging comments.
“Words have consequences; as The Reverend Steve Tinning pointed out to committee, the Baptist Church in Weymouth supporting asylum seekers from the Bibby Stockholm has received vile threats since these allegations were made in the press.
“Places of Worship of all kinds support asylum seekers and refugees, welcoming them and helping them to integrate in our communities. They should be thanked, not criticised, by politicians.”