The Tories have accused Labour minister Angel Eagle of refusing to rule out a return for the Jihadi bride.
The Tories have demanded Labour stand up for the British people (Image: Getty)
Senior Home Office minister Angela Eagle has been accused of stepping back from a cast iron pledge to refuse Shamima Begum a return to Britain.
Speaking this morning, Dame Angela was asked once again whether the UK should accept her back into the country due to this month’s developments in Syria.
The Labour grandee refused to speak about “individual cases”, nor get involved in what “speculating about what the courts might do”.
She added: “But I can say that we are keeping a very close eye on all of the people that we think may represent a danger to this country as the situation in Syria develops.”
Asked again whether Britain may accept people like Shamima Begum accepting asylum because of risk to their life in Syria, Dame Angela insisted: “I’m not going to talk about her particular case.
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Dame Angela Eagle refused to rule out a return for Shamima Begum (Image: Getty)
“Every case would have to be looked on at… on its merits. And we would also have to have risk assessment about any such cases.”
The Conservatives’ shadow Home Secretary has blasted this refusal to rule anything out, demanding Labour confirm “on whose side they really stand”.
Chris Philp slammed: “The failure of Labour’s Border Security Minister to rule out letting Shamima Begum back into this country speaks volumes.
“Conservatives in Government stripped Begum of citizenship and made sure she could not come back here. The courts upheld this.
“Those who supported the murderous Daesh regime have no place in the UK. It is weak and supine for the Labour Minister to fail to back this approach.
“With Keir Starmer appointing Begum’s counsel as this country top lawyer, Labour urgently need to make clear they will not undo our decision, and confirm on whose side they really stand.”
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Chris Philp demanded Labour stand up for the British people (Image: Getty)
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This week it emerged that a key member of Keir Starmer’s Cabinet previously argued that stripping Ms Begum of her British citizenship was “extremely draconian”.
Lord Harmer KC, who was appointed as Sir Keir’s Attorney General after the election, represented the human rights group Liberty in 2020 during a legal challenge around Ms Begum’s position.
Lord Harmer argued that stripping Ms Begum of her citizenship could expose her to “rendition and targeted drone strikes, the consequences of which may be fatal”.
He added: “Additional fair trial considerations arise in deprivation appeals involving individuals who may have been groomed whilst in the UK and recruited by IS.”
Kemi Badenoch raised this at Prime Minister’s Questions this week, blasting: “[Keir Starmer] even said it was wrong when the Conservatives took away Shamima Begum’s citizenship.
“Now he has appointed her defence lawyer as his Attorney General.”
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