Suella Braverman's refugee speech sparks UN human rights criticism

Summary

Home Secretary Suella Braverman says multiculturalism has "failed" during a speech on migration in the US
She does not outline any new policies but calls for a new international approach to granting asylum and changes to the 1951 Refugee Convention
And she says fearing discrimination for being gay or a woman should not be enough to qualify for refugee protection
But the UN says the Refugee Convention is "as relevant as ever" and has saved "millions of lives"
Meanwhile, Labour says Braverman is trying to "distract from her her failures" after "losing grip of the asylum crisis at home"
And charity ActionAid says providing "refuge and safety to women in need is not just an option, it's an imperative"

Live Reporting

Edited by Dulcie Lee

Home secretary to call for system ‘fit for modern age’published at 14:31 British Summer Time 26 September 2023
Image source, PA Media
In her speech in Washington DC in around an hour's time, Suella Braverman is expected to argue that fearing discrimination for being gay or a woman should not be enough to qualify for international refugee protection.
The home secretary’s address to a right-wing US think thank, set for 15:30 BST (10:30 local time), will question whether the application of the UN's 1951 Refugee Convention is "fit for our modern age".
According to information given to journalists ahead of the speech, she is to tell the American Enterprise Institute audience that "we now live in a completely different time" from when the convention was signed.
Braverman is expected to argue that there has been an “interpretive shift away from 'persecution’ in favour of “something more akin to a definition of ‘discrimination’” in cases involving refugee claims.
"The practical consequence of which has been to expand the number of those who may qualify for asylum, and to lower the threshold for doing so,” she is set to say.
Braverman to challenge global refugee rules in US speechpublished at 14:20 British Summer Time 26 September 2023
James FitzGerald
Live reporter
Home Secretary Suella Braverman is to challenge a decades-old agreement on refugee rights, asking in a speech whether the pact is "fit for our modern age”.
Fearing discrimination for being gay or a woman should not be enough to qualify for international refugee protection, she will tell the right-wing American Enterprise Institute in Washington DC.
Before speaking, her words have received plenty of reaction from campaigners, opposition politicians, and members of Braverman's own party.
On this page, you’ll be able to watch Braverman live - and we’ll be bringing you further reaction and the context to some of her comments. I’m joined by Barbara Tasch, Jacqueline Howard, Ece Goksedef and Ali Abbas Ahmadi.