Iraqi Kurds seek asylum in the UK after Germany tightens deportation rules

Asylum applications in Germany surged to their highest level since 2016, prompting Iraqi Kurds like Ahmed to seek refuge in the UK after Germany toughened its deportation policies. A failed asylum seeker was recently sent from Britain to a third country, marking the second instance of such relocation under a voluntary programme that offers a £3,000 payment. The UK government's Rwanda scheme, aimed at forcibly relocating illegal immigrants to Africa for processing and settlement, faces uncertainty with Labour's promise to abolish it if they win the election. Labour plans to overhaul the asylum system, including setting up a new unit to expedite removals and enforcing rules more effectively. They aim to process asylum claims swiftly and return those with no right to stay in the UK to their home countries. Labour also intends to shut down asylum hotels within a year and save taxpayers billions of pounds by clearing the backlog of migrants. The party is exploring legal avenues to process asylum claims without new legislation and prioritize migrants from countries with low asylum approval rates for deportation. The Conservative Party criticizes Labour's approach, arguing that without a plan to deter illegal migration, their pledges are ineffective and costly to taxpayers.