Former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad arrived in Moscow in recent days to seek refuge after 13 years of civil war in his country.
During those years, we have seen stories of horrors perpetrated by his government and the growth and decline of ISIS. In the end, Assad was forced to flee Syria when rebel groups entered the capital Damascus.
In the 10 years to 2021, more than 30,000 Syrians were granted asylum in the UK. Since the fall of Assad, many have taken to the streets in Britain to celebrate his fall. Others have spoken of their hopes of returning to Syria to help rebuild their country.
The long-term future for Syria is of course uncertain. And this may well last for years. But there is one thing of which we can be sure: the Assad regime, which people fled, is over.
Andrew RT Davies
PA
The historic purpose of asylum is to show compassion to people who are fleeing persecution. Britain is a compassionate country with a history of extending the hand of friendship, not because we must, but because it is in some cases the right thing to do.
The generosity we have shown to people fleeing in genuine fear is something of which we can be exceptionally proud. But for too long, our asylum policy has also been abused. And we must not allow it to become a backdoor for economic migration.
Since Assad’s fall, the British government has paused decisions on Syrian asylum claims. This is clearly the right thing to do. But we must also go further. As Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick has pointed out, many of the asylum claims of Syrian nationals will now be baseless.
We must therefore now work to put plans in place to help those Syrian nationals travel back to Syria, where they can be confident that they will not be persecuted by Assad’s regime.
In the process, we will be giving them the opportunity to play their part in helping to rebuild their country, as many of them have said they want to do.
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If we do this, we will send a signal to the British people and to the world that our asylum policy cannot be exploited.
But if we do not get it right this time, we will instead send a message to others in the world that asylum means a one-way ticket to these shores. It must not mean that.
Our posture on these issues is hugely important. Since Labour took power, over 20,000 people have crossed the channel in small boats.
By getting these asylum issues right, we will reduce the pull-factors that incentivise people to make that dangerous journey.
The government’s response will be crucial. If it takes the right approach, the measures will not just receive my support, but that of the overwhelming majority of the British people too.
I sincerely hope that happens.