In response to the Prime Minister’s statement on increased border controls and security measures today, Donna Covey, Chief Executive of the Refugee Council said:

“It is clearly important that we have strong and secure borders and that we are able to police them effectively.

“Yet it is equally important that we ensure people who are fleeing persecution, refugees in fear of their lives, are able to get to the UK to ask for safety here. This was not addressed by the Prime Minister today.

“We currently have no mechanism that allows for someone to ask for protection from the UK before they land on British soil. So we have to ensure that when they do, there are doors open to them so they can access asylum processes, and that they are made welcome here.”

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