‘Lawyers abusing asylum process’

Date published: 19 November 2008

PHIL WOOLAS believes his time as Oldham East MP has left him well placed for his work as Immigration Minister.

He has seen people who have suffered violence and deserve the right to asylum in the UK.

But, last night, he said he feared some lawyers and charities working on behalf of asylum-seekers are undermining the law and playing the system.

Mr Woolas said: “One woman showed me the scars on her thighs from where soldiers had raped her. But I cannot take a decision on her behalf if I am fogged by cases that are misusing the law.

“I do not need any lessons in the reality of persecution from self-appointed civil rights spokespeople.

“It is wrong to string out appeals processes for years using tricks in the books and raising false hope for economic migrants.

“I do not accuse all charities and law firms of this but some do play the system and that is not fair.”

Layers

Mr Woolas said he believes some charities and lawyers have turned trying to get asylum applications into an industry.

He recalled one case where an asylum-seeker won after six layers of appeal, saying: “That person has no right to be in this country but I’m sure that there is an industry out there that is a vested interest”.

Mr Woolas has faced much opposition since he took up his role at the beginning of October and last night the criticism continued.

Lib-Dem home affairs spokesman Chris Huhne said: “The mismanaged asylum system is not going to be improved by attacking the lawyers and charities who help people flee from persecution.

“Responsibility for asylum should be taken away from the cack-handed blunderings of the Home Office and given to a Canadian-style independent agency.”