DEAR Editor – What is the Government hiding? The Home Office claims that accepting asylum seekers that have travelled through Europe results in a “pull factor”, encouraging others to follow the same desperate path.

This has been used to justify creating a deterrent hostile environment for asylum seekers. Pushed to provide evidence to back this harsh approach the Home Office commissioned research.

Charities, including Médecins Sans Frontières asked to see the results using freedom of information applications. Surprise surprise! Application denied. We can only think the research came up with the “wrong” answer.

Previous Home Office research had already undermined the “pull factor” idea. It suggested that asylum seekers want to come to the UK because of cultural ties, language and the presence of family or friends already here. So we might conclude the new research also shows the “pull factor” is a myth and that refugees will continue to travel to the UK for a complex variety of reasons.

Recently Priti Patel made the misleading statement that 70 per cent of small boat arrivals “are not genuine asylum seekers”.

Yet analysis, partly based on the Home Office’s own data, shows the correct figure is only about 33 per cent.  A large majority of those arriving are indeed genuine refugees and are allowed to remain.

Creating a fair and compassionate approach to asylum seekers is challenging.  But it is made harder by a Government that plays politics, tries to bury the evidence and twist the figures. 

Cllr Louis Stephen

Worcester Green Party