British Home Secretary Priti Patel is in a battle with European countries to get controversial asylum seeker proposals accepted. AFP
British Home Secretary Priti Patel is in a battle with European countries to get controversial asylum seeker proposals accepted. AFP
British Home Secretary Priti Patel is in a battle with European countries to get controversial asylum seeker proposals accepted. AFP
British Home Secretary Priti Patel is in a battle with European countries to get controversial asylum seeker proposals accepted. AFP

EU countries snub UK proposals to return asylum seekers


Thomas Harding
  • English
  • Arabic

Britain’s tough post-Brexit immigration proposals are in doubt, as no European country has supported plans to deport asylum seekers to “safe countries” such as France.

Home Secretary Priti Patel has proposed a major immigration overhaul to forcibly return to Europe migrants who enter the UK illegally, but has been unable to persuade any EU country to sign on.

Despite significant criticism, Ms Patel’s plans are to feature in the Queen’s Speech on Tuesday as part of the government’s legislative agenda for the next year.

But the proposals now look vulnerable without any European agreements, alongside the UN warning that they could undermine worldwide agreements to offer refugees protection.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees has criticised the proposals, saying they could damage Britain’s “global credibility”.

The UNHCR is also set to publish a legal opinion on the plans saying they could infringe international legislation and are unworkable.

"If a country like the UK seeks to back away from its obligations under the convention, what message does it send to others hosting large numbers?" Rossella Pagliuchi-Lor, the UNHCR's UK representative, told The Observer newspaper.

“There’s no question that the UK has won a reputation as a country of asylum, and with it considerable global credibility – which, incidentally, it has used to advocate for open asylum abroad.”

The British government has also been criticised by 192 refugee, human rights, legal and faith groups that have signed a public statement denouncing the proposals as a “sham”.

The Law Society describes the changes as “undermining access to justice and making a mockery of British fair play”.

Hundreds of asylum seekers in Britain have been told that they could be removed to other countries in Europe despite Brexit removing Britain’s power to make such transfers.

After Brexit was completed in January, the UK left the Dublin regulation, a legal process that allows EU governments to transfer refugees back to other member states where they were earlier registered.

No new legislation or bilateral agreements have replaced this.

Meanwhile, Denmark has become the first European nation to refuse to renew residency permits for refugees, claiming some areas of Syria are safe for families to return to.

Syrians in Denmark say they face severe danger if forced to return home to Damascus and other areas that have been levelled by the decade-long civil war.

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4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
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The specs
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MATCH INFO

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UAE 112 (19.2 overs)

Jersey win by 35 runs

The specs

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THE SPECS

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The biog

Job: Fitness entrepreneur, body-builder and trainer

Favourite superhero: Batman

Favourite quote: We must become the change we want to see, by Mahatma Gandhi.

Favourite car: Lamborghini

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Key figures in the life of the fort

Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.

Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.

Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.

Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.

Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.

Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.

Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae

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Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
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Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
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Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?

The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.

A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.

Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.

The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.

When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

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While you're here
The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting

2. Prayer

3. Hajj

4. Shahada

5. Zakat 

Red flags
  • Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
  • Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
  • Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
  • Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
  • Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.

Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching