The United Kingdom Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, is facing a severe backlash from the opposition and the public after a shocking revelation that his government has lost track of 17,000 asylum seekers in the country. The Home Office admitted that these asylum seekers had either withdrawn their claims or failed to show up for their appointments, and that it had no idea where they were or what they were doing.
The scandal came to light at a meeting of the Home Office Select Committee, where Conservative MP Tim Loughton grilled the Home Office officials on why 17,000 asylum claims were withdrawn within a year. He accused the government of being “complacent and incompetent” in managing the UK border and immigration system.
“This is a staggering number of people who have entered our country, claimed asylum, and then disappeared into thin air. How can we trust the government to protect our national security and public health when they can’t even keep track of who is in the country and why?” Loughton said.
The Home Office officials tried to defend themselves by saying that some of the asylum seekers might have left the country voluntarily or moved to another EU country under the Dublin Regulation, which allows asylum seekers to be transferred to the first EU country they entered. They also said that some of the withdrawn claims might have been duplicates or errors, and that they were working to improve their data quality and accuracy.
However, their explanations did not satisfy the committee members, who demanded more transparency and accountability from the government. They also expressed their concerns about the potential risks posed by the missing asylum seekers, who could be involved in criminal activities, terrorism, or spreading Covid-19.
The Labour Party leader, Keir Starmer, seized the opportunity to attack the Prime Minister and his handling of the immigration issue. He said that Sunak had failed to deliver on his promise to take back control of the UK border and to create a fair and compassionate asylum system.
“Rishi Sunak has shown once again that he is not fit to lead this country. He has presided over a chaotic and cruel immigration system that has let down thousands of vulnerable people who came here seeking safety and dignity. He has also put our national security and public health at risk by losing track of thousands of asylum seekers who could pose a threat to our society. He must take responsibility for this mess and fix it urgently or resign.” Starmer said.
The Prime Minister’s spokesperson said that Sunak was aware of the situation and that he was taking it very seriously. He said that the government was committed to reforming the asylum system and to making it more efficient, fair, and humane. He also said that the government was working closely with the police and the intelligence agencies to track down and deport any asylum seekers who were found to be involved in illegal or harmful activities.
“We are determined to fix the broken asylum system and to ensure that it serves the best interests of the British people and the genuine refugees who need our protection. We are also taking all the necessary measures to safeguard our national security and public health from any potential threats posed by the missing asylum seekers. The Prime Minister is personally overseeing this matter and he will not rest until it is resolved.” the spokesperson said.