Former Home Secretary Suella Braverman, now a backbench MP in the Conservative Party, has expressed anger over what she calls an “industrial-scale” facilitation of bogus asylum claims by several churches across the UK. Braverman accuses these churches of wrongly certifying non-Christians as Christians to strengthen their asylum cases.
In an opinion piece for ‘The Daily Telegraph,’ Braverman highlighted her frustration with the perceived lack of control over the UK’s borders, despite the claimed “landmark restoration” of sovereignty after Brexit. She specifically targeted churches that, she says, become one-stop shops for asylum seekers. According to her, attending mass regularly, befriending the vicar, and getting baptized can result in being certified as a God-fearing Christian facing persecution in their Islamic country of origin.
Braverman, a barrister who previously worked on asylum cases for the Home Office, contends that the problem of bogus asylum claims has not only persisted but has also expanded in various deceptive ways. She mentioned cases of adults posing as children, Muslims pretending to be Christians, and individuals faking various aspects such as sexual orientation, mental illness, economic hardship, or political persecution.
The former Minister sees the solution to this issue in Britain withdrawing from the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR). Braverman argued that the Strasbourg-based court’s jurisprudence, binding in the UK, has taken an “ever-expansive” approach to human rights, making it challenging to address the problem within its boundaries.
In a direct challenge to current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who faces pressure to reduce illegal migration figures, Braverman insists that withdrawing from the ECHR is crucial. She believes that the UK has tried working within its boundaries for decades without success, and a new approach is needed.
Acknowledging her migrant roots, with a Goan-origin father and Tamil mother, Braverman clarified that her intent is not to demonize those seeking a better life abroad. She emphasized the distinction between lawful immigration and the deceptive practices that characterize illegal immigration, calling for a reevaluation of the country’s asylum policy in the 21st century.
Braverman concluded her argument by stating that the government’s ability to address these issues will always be limited unless the UK withdraws from the European Convention on Human Rights.
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