Home Secretary Suella Braverman claims illegal migration is ‘existential challenge’ and hits out at ‘dogma of multiculturalism’

Published

2 years ago

September 26, 2023

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Home Secretary Suella Braverman has called for a reform of the international asylum system, saying it is no longer fit for purpose.

Speaking in Washington DC, Ms Braverman outlined how she believed the current system was “outdated”.

She branded the number of displaced people in the world as an “epoch-defining challenge” – the same language the government uses to describe China.

Uncontrolled and illegal migration is an “existential challenge for the political and cultural institutions of the West”, she said, adding that “uncontrolled immigration, inadequate integration, and a misguided dogma of multiculturalism have proven a toxic combination for Europe over the last few decades”.

The speech was panned by NGOs, campaigners and politicians, with Amnesty International saying it was “a display of cynicism and xenophobia”.

Part of her speech criticised how current levels of migration have led to “undermining the stability and threatening the security of society” in “extreme cases”.

She said: “We are living with the consequence of that failure today. You can see it play out on the streets of cities all over Europe. From Malmo, to Paris, Brussels, to Leicester.”

“If people are not able to settle in our countries, and start to think of themselves as British, American, French, or German, then something is going badly wrong,” she added.

Ms Braverman said “we now live in a completely different time” to 1951 when the UN Human Rights Convention was signed.

She went on: “Is the Refugee Convention in need of reform?

“What would a revised global asylum framework look like?

“How can we better balance national rights and human rights, so that the latter do not undermine national sovereignty?”

Ms Braverman also questioned whether courts have redefined asylum to be granted for people suffering “discrimination” instead of “persecution” – especially in the context of someone who is gay or a woman.

“Where individuals are being persecuted, it is right that we offer sanctuary?

“But we will not be able to sustain an asylum system if in effect, simply being gay, or a woman, and fearful of discrimination in your country of origin, is sufficient to qualify for protection.”

‘The need is not for reform’

The UN’s refugee agency, the UNHCR, responded to Ms Braverman’s speech by saying the convention “remains as relevant today as when it was adopted in providing an indispensable framework for addressing those challenges, based on international co-operation”.

“The need is not for reform, or more restrictive interpretation, but for stronger and more consistent application of the convention and its underlying principle of responsibility-sharing,” it added.

Punchy home secretary landing blows ahead of party conference

It is no surprise to hear Suella Braverman talking tough on immigration.

Even so, today’s language is particularly punchy.

She talks about the “obvious threat to public safety and national security” illegal immigration poses and says “nobody entering the UK by boat from France is fleeing imminent peril”.

There has been backlash already, unsurprisingly, from charities and NGOs. One man who crossed the Channel in 2019 (fleeing Iran) told me the home secretary has “turned her back” on those in need.

It is criticism the home secretary is used to. Beyond the ethics, though, there is the question of whether anything she says will actually shift the dial.

The most eye-catching part of the Home Secretary’s speech was her call to reform the UN Refugee Convention. She says the convention, set up after the Second World War, needs to adapt for a “different time” and its application has shifted too far from helping people fleeing “persecution” to those fleeing “discrimination”.

It’s not clear there is any appetite to reform the convention from the 140+ other countries signed up to it. It won’t fix the small boats problem any time soon.

She also spoke about the importance of deterrents: Rwanda and the Illegal Migration Bill. The Rwanda plan has been bogged down in court, and there is no proof yet that government legislation will work. Small boat crossings are down from last year, but they are still much higher than 2021. Last month, more than 800 people crossed the channel in a single day.

Suella Braverman pointed to polling showing most red wall voters want to stop small boat crossings “using any means necessary”. She did not point to the recent YouGov poll suggesting 86% believe the government is handling immigration badly.

Her speech may not distract from the perils of the government’s illegal migration policy, but it certainly sends a message ahead of the Conservative Party conference.

“An appropriate response to the increase in arrivals and to the UK’s current asylum backlog would include strengthening and expediting decision-making procedures.

“This would accelerate the integration of those found to be refugees and facilitate the swift return of those who have no legal basis to stay.

“UNHCR has presented the UK Government with concrete and actionable proposals in this regard and continues to support constructive, ongoing efforts to clear the current asylum backlog.”

The speech and its contents were met with criticism from a range of charities, MPs and campaigners.

Ben Bradshaw, a gay Labour MP and former cabinet minister, asked if any “LGBT or any other Tories” were prepared to condemn the home secretary, adding that “being gay is enough to result in persecution or death in many countries”.

Michael Fabricant, a Tory MP and a patron of the Conservative LGBT+ group, said that “if someone simply claims to be gay in order to seek asylum, that should not lift the bar to entry to the UK”.

He added: “However, if someone has experienced persecution from the country from which they are escaping, it presents a different and far more persuasive case. Each application should be considered carefully on its merits.”

Fellow Conservative MP David Davis said “it is perfectly reasonable to ask why there are so many migrants”, but looking at the origin of where people come from – and influencing factors like Western foreign policy and wars in such regions, should also be taken into account.

Braverman ‘spot on’

Ms Braverman’s junior in the Home Office, Robert Jenrick, supported her speech – saying the authors of the international laws criticised by the secretary of state would be “appalled” with how the system is now mired in organised criminality and exploited by economic migrants.

Tory MP Scott Benton said Ms Braverman was “absolutely spot on”, adding that “she’s right to highlight the need for reform and the British public are with her on this issue and so many others”.

Lord Dubs, the Labour peer, who arrived in the UK as a child refugee from the Nazis in Czechoslovakia, said that Ms Braverman’s comments were “shocking”.

“In many countries being gay is an imprisonable offence. For some, it means the death penalty,” he said.

“She’s repeating the shameful policy that people should not be treated as refugees if they arrive here by boat.

“But she’s closed virtually all other means of arrival.”

‘Cynicism and xenophobia’

Sacha Deshmukh, Amnesty International UK’s chief executive, said: “The Refugee Convention is a cornerstone of the international legal system and we need to call out this assault on the convention for what it is – a display of cynicism and xenophobia.

“The Refugee Convention is just as relevant today as it was when it was created, and verbal assaults from the home secretary don’t alter the harsh realities that cause people from countries such as Sudan, Afghanistan and Iran to flee from conflict and persecution.”

He added: “Instead of making inflammatory speeches decrying the rights of people fleeing persecution and tyranny, Suella Braverman should focus on creating a functioning UK asylum system that tackles the massive backlog her policies have created, so as to be able to meet the limited refugee responsibilities that fall to the UK.”

Josie Naughton, chief executive of Choose Love, said: “It is the Home Secretary, not the global refugee convention, that is out of touch with the modern age.

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“In a world marred by conflicts and displacement, more and more people are fleeing war zones and persecution in search of safety.

“On top of natural disasters, and rising climate concern, we all know that the number of people being displaced will only increase globally.

“The UN’s 1951 Refugee Convention was put in place to protect every human being searching for safety, fleeing war zones, danger and threats to their life and freedoms. More than ever, the world must come together and unite behind it. We cannot solve this problem by seeking to undermine fundamental human rights. Working together is the only solution.”

Politics

A16z Crypto and advocacy group call for NFT, DeFi app safe harbor at SEC

Published

10 hours ago

August 13, 2025

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A16z Crypto and advocacy group call for NFT, DeFi app safe harbor at SEC

The two entities requested that the financial regulator provide a “safe harbor” for certain applications under the SEC’s broker-dealer registration requirements.

Politics

Labour MP Tulip Siddiq hits out at ‘farce’ anti-corruption trial in Bangladesh

Published

17 hours ago

August 13, 2025

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Labour MP Tulip Siddiq hits out at 'farce' anti-corruption trial in Bangladesh

Labour MP Tulip Siddiq has called her anti-corruption trial a “farce” which is “driven by a clear political agenda” as proceedings began on Wednesday in Bangladesh.

In a statement seen by Sky News, Ms Siddiq has said the case was “built on fabricated accusations”.

Ms Siddiq was formerly the UK government’s anti-corruption minister but stood down over accusations she illegally received a plot of land in a new high-end development on the outskirts of Dhaka, Bangladesh’s capital.

This came after her aunt, Sheikh Hasina, was ousted as prime minister last year and replaced by the current government.

Hundreds of protesters were killed during the uprising and Ms Hasina now faces charges including crimes against humanity.

Politics latest: Reeves ‘considering tightening inheritance tax’

Ms Siddiq previously denied all the allegations against her through lawyers, saying the prosecution is politically motivated.

Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) claims the Labour MP received a 7,200-square-foot plot in a diplomatic zone through “abuse of power and influence”.

The trial in Dhaka began in the early hours of UK time, with Ms Siddiq on trial alongside her mother and siblings. The family are being tried in absentia as they have not returned to Bangladesh for the proceedings.

The court opened with ACC prosecutors laying out the case against Ms Siddiq.

In her statement, Ms Siddiq said: “The so-called trial now under way in Dhaka is nothing more than a farce, built on fabricated accusations and driven by a clear political vendetta.

“Over the past year, the allegations against me have repeatedly shifted, yet I have never been contacted by the Bangladeshi authorities once. I have never received a court summons, no official communication, and no evidence.

“If this were a genuine legal process, the authorities would have engaged with me or my legal team, responded to our formal correspondence, and presented the evidence they claim to hold.

“Instead, they have peddled false and vexatious allegations that have been briefed to the media but never formally put to me by investigators.

“Even my offer to meet Bangladesh’s chief adviser Muhammad Yunus during his recent visit to London was refused. Such conduct is wholly incompatible with the principles of a fair trial that we uphold in the UK.

“I have been clear from the outset that I have done nothing wrong and will respond to any credible evidence that is presented to me. Continuing to smear my name to score political points is both baseless and damaging.”

Sky News has contacted the Bangladesh authorities for a response.

A separate anti-corruption allegation into Ms Siddiq’s family has also been launched, with allegations they were involved in brokering a 2013 deal with Russia for a nuclear power plant in Bangladesh, in which large sums of money were said to have been embezzled.

Ms Siddiq’s aunt, Ms Hasina, was ousted last year following student protests, having been in power for more than a decade. She has since fled to India.

Hundreds of protesters were killed during the uprising and Ms Hasina now faces charges including crimes against humanity.

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Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus took over as interim leader and vowed to prosecute Ms Hasina.

Allegations have also been made about Ms Siddiq and a house she rents in North London, which is owned by a businessman reportedly linked to Ms Hasina’s Awami League Party.

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What is former minister Tulip Siddiq on trial for in Bangladesh?

Published

17 hours ago

August 13, 2025

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What is former minister Tulip Siddiq on trial for in Bangladesh?

Former minister Tulip Siddiq has found herself in the spotlight again as she faces a corruption trial in Bangladesh.

The former anti-corruption minister’s trial is expected to begin on Wednesday, but she will not be there.

A wider trial began on Monday after 27 people were indicted last week by Bangladeshi courts. They include Ms Siddiq, her aunt, other family members, and current and former officials.

Ms Siddiq resigned from her Treasury job in the UK on 14 January after facing calls to step down over links to her aunt, the ousted former Bangladesh prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, who is being investigated by Bangladesh’s anti-corruption commission.

Sir Keir Starmer’s ethics watchdog found the MP, who was born in London, had not breached the ministerial code, but told the PM: “You will want to consider her ongoing responsibilities.”

The 42-year-old MP for Hampstead and Highgate insists she has done nothing wrong and denies all the claims.

Sky News takes a look at the allegation behind the court case.

What is the allegation against Tulip Siddiq?

The current trial relates to just one of those claims – that she illegally allocated 7,200 sq ft of land to her family.

However, Ms Siddiq said she has not been informed of the specific charges she is facing or received a summons to appear.

An arrest warrant for Ms Siddiq was issued by Bangladesh in April, with the MP saying she only became aware of it when it was reported in the media.

Bangladesh’s anti-corruption commission alleges Ms Siddiq was involved in the illegal allocation of plots of land in the diplomatic zone of a luxury development in Purbachal near Dhaka to her mother, sister and brother.

An affidavit, seen by Sky News, states that while serving as a British MP, she “exerted pressure and influence” on her aunt to get planning officials to appoint them the land.

Investigators claim planning officials were bribed and pressured into fraudulently allocating the land.

Bangladesh prosecutor Mir Ahmed Ali Salam said if Ms Siddiq is found guilty, Bangladeshi authorities could submit an Interpol Red Notice, which alerts law enforcement around the world to surrender a person to a certain country.

The UK and Bangladesh do not have a formal extradition treaty – but extradition is still possible through a request that is decided by the home secretary.

What has Tulip Siddiq said?

About the Bangladesh trial:

Ms Siddiq has denied all the allegations and sees the trial as a politically motivated smear campaign, calling it “targeted and baseless”.

She told The Guardian she is “collateral damage” of a “feud between Muhammad Yunus and my aunt”.

“These are wider forces that I’m battling against. There’s no doubt people have done wrong things in Bangladesh, and they should be punished for it. It’s just I’m not one of them,” she added.

“I feel a bit like I’m trapped in this Kafkaesque nightmare where I’ve been put on trial and I genuinely haven’t found out what the allegations are and what the trial is about.”

Sky News understands her lawyer requested to attend the trial in Bangladesh on her behalf but was denied access.

We also understand the Bangladeshi authorities did not tell Ms Siddiq of a date change for the trial, and she only found out when Sky News contacted her lawyer about it.

In June, Ms Siddiq accused Professor Yunus of conducting an “orchestrated campaign” to damage her reputation and “interfere with UK politics”.

In a legal letter seen by Sky News in June, the MP also said comments made by Professor Yunus in a Sky News interview have prejudiced her right to a fair investigation, meaning the corruption inquiries should be dropped.

Ms Siddiq has also denied brokering a deal with Russia for the nuclear power plant and reportedly told a UK government official she was the target of a “political hit job”.

She also said: “I’m not here to defend my aunt.”

About her resignation:

Sir Keir said on 6 January that Ms Siddiq had referred herself to his independent adviser on ministerial standards, Sir Laurie Magnus.

She had been due to join a delegation heading to China with Chancellor Rachel Reeves, but remained in the UK to clear her name.

In her letter to Sir Laurie, she said: “In recent weeks, I have been the subject of media reporting, much of it inaccurate, about my financial affairs and my family’s links to the former government of Bangladesh.

“I am clear that I have done nothing wrong.

“However, for the avoidance of doubt, I would like you to independently establish the facts about these matters.

“I will obviously ensure you have all the information you need to do this.”

Announcing her resignation, Ms Siddiq said an independent review “has confirmed that I have not breached the ministerial code and there is no evidence to suggest I have acted improperly”.

“Nonetheless, to avoid distraction for the government, I have resigned as city minister,” she added.

The MP has previously said she and her aunt never spoke about politics.

However, Sky News discovered blog posts she wrote in 2008 and 2009, when she was a Labour activist, describing campaigning with her aunt in Bangladesh’s general election and celebrating her victory.

The Times also reported that the MP’s Labour Party flyers and a thank you note to local Labour Party members after she was elected as an MP were found in the palace in Dhaka that belonged to her aunt.

Who is Sheikh Hasina?

Sheikh Hasina was Bangladesh’s prime minister for 20 years – the world’s longest-serving female head of government – but in August was deposed following a mass uprising after elections widely criticised as being fraudulent.

Her premiership was marked by rampant corruption, with Ms Hasina being detained on extortion charges and serving jail time.

Human Rights Watch has said it documented widespread enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings during her time in power.

But the 77-year-old was also praised for giving nearly a million Rohingya fleeing genocide in Myanmar refuge and assistance in 2017.

Following last summer’s uprising, she fled to India, where she is in self-imposed exile, and is facing an investigation by Bangladesh’s anti-corruption commission.

Most of Ms Hasina’s family were assassinated in 1975 during a coup d’etat but she, her husband and sister, Sheikh Rehana – Ms Siddiq’s mother – were in Europe at the time. They were offered political asylum by the then Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi and lived in Delhi for six years before returning home in 1981 with Ms Hasani as president of the Awami League party.

Ms Siddiq’s mother lived in exile in the UK during the 1980s and in 2016 was made a local councillor representing the Awami League in Dhaka. Her son, Ms Hasina’s son and daughter, are also councillors there.

Ms Hasina remains in India and will be tried in absentia over allegations of crimes against humanity.

How have Labour reacted?

Sir Keir said Ms Siddiq “acted entirely properly” by referring herself to the ethics watchdog to “establish the facts”, and added he had “confidence in her”.

On receiving her resignation letter, Sir Keir said he accepted it “with sadness”, adding: “I also wish to be clear that Sir Laurie Magnus as Independent Adviser has assured me he found no breach of the ministerial code and no evidence of financial improprieties on your part.”

He praised her for making the “difficult decision” to resign nonetheless and said “the door remains open for you” going forward.

Wycombe MP Emma Reynolds replaced Ms Siddiq as a minister, while Torsten Bell took up Ms Reynolds’ role in the Department for Work and Pensions.

What have the Conservatives said?

Ahead of Ms Siddiq’s resignation, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch called for Sir Keir to sack Ms Siddiq, adding: “He appointed his personal friend as anti-corruption minister and she is accused herself of corruption.

“Now the government of Bangladesh is raising serious concerns about her links to the regime of Sheikh Hasina.”

When the Labour MP resigned, Ms Badenoch accused Sir Keir of “dither and delay to protect his close friend”, saying it had become clear over the weekend her position “was completely untenable”.

How has Bangladesh reacted?

Bangladesh’s anti-money laundering agency asked the country’s banks for details of accounts and transactions linked to Ms Siddiq, her aunt, mother, her brother and cousins.

Her allies insist she has no bank accounts outside the UK, and her spokesperson said she has not been contacted by the Bangladeshi authorities.

Nobel peace-prize winning economist Muhammad Yunus, who is leading Bangladesh’s interim government, said the London properties used by Ms Siddiq should be investigated and returned if she is found to have benefited from “plain robbery”.

Following her resignation, Professor Yunus said there will be a thorough investigation into properties and assets “tied to stolen Bangladeshi funds, including those linked to individuals with connections to the previous regime” and if it is proven they have benefited from embezzlement “we expect those assets to be returned to Bangladesh, where they rightfully belong”.

“Tulip Siddiq may not have entirely understood the source of the money and property that she was enjoying in London, but she knows now and should seek forgiveness from the people of Bangladesh,” he added.