In recent years, asylum applications to the UK have skyrocketed - in 2023 alone, 84,425 people applied for asylum here.
But many of these applications come from safe, stable countries.
A ๐งต on some of the countries that the UK received asylum applications from in 2023...
First - the UK does not need to have an asylum system.
The system is designed to accommodate a small number of low-impact individuals from repressive or unstable countries.
It is not a tool for economic migration, or a means to escape criminal justice.
In 2023, the UK received 5,682 asylum applications from India ๐ฎ๐ณ
India is widely regarded as a safe, stable, and democratic country. It is a key economic and diplomatic partner of the UK. Millions of foreign tourists visit India each year without incident.
In 2023, the UK received 4,542 asylum applications from Albania ๐ฆ๐ฑ
Albania is a safe, stable, European country. Though its democracy is imperfect, the country is widely regarded as democratic. There is no ongoing civil or political conflict in Albania.
In 2023, the UK received 4,419 asylum applications from Turkey ๐น๐ท
Turkey is an imperfect democracy with a relatively high level of civil liberty. It is a key economic and military ally of the UK - in 2023, 3.8 million Britons visited Turkey, most without incident.
In 2023, the UK received 2,469 asylum applications from Vietnam ๐ป๐ณ
Though undemocratic, Vietnam is a safe, stable country that hosts millions of foreign tourists each year. The UK is the only European country which accepts Vietnamese asylum applications.
In 2023, the UK received 2,198 asylum applications from Sri Lanka ๐ฑ๐ฐ
Though the country has suffered economic difficulties in recent years, Sri Lanka is a safe country with some degree of democracy. The country has been at peace since the end of its civil war in 2009.
In 2023, the UK received 2,175 asylum applications from Brazil ๐ง๐ท
Though Brazil suffers a high level of petty criminality, it is a stable and consistently democratic country with no ongoing civil or military conflicts. Millions of tourists visit Brazil each year.
In 2023, the UK received 1,408 asylum applications from Georgia ๐ฌ๐ช
Georgia is a safe, stable, and largely democratic country. It is home to a growing international tourist industry, and is rated as free or mostly free by the majority of international observers.
In 2023, the UK received 1,180 asylum applications from Namibia ๐ณ๐ฆ
Namibia is one of the safest, most stable, and most democratic countries in sub-Saharan Africa. It has no ongoing civil or military unrest, and no ongoing conflicts.
In 2023, the UK received 627 asylum applications from Botswana ๐ง๐ผ
Botswana is arguably the most stable and developed country in sub-Saharan Africa. It has had no coups, no civil wars, and no conflicts since independence in 1966. It is rated 'high' on the Human Development Index.
In 2023, the UK received 359 asylum applications from the Philippines ๐ต๐ญ
Though an imperfect democracy, the Philippines is widely regarded as democratic - most of the country is safe and stable. The country is rated 'partly free' by Freedom House and it is highly developed.
In 2023, the UK received 353 asylum applications from Trinidad & Tobago ๐น๐น
The Caribbean island nation is safe, stable, and democratic. It is one of the most developed countries in the Americas, and has no outstanding civil or military unrest.
In 2023, the UK received 352 asylum applications from Morocco ๐ฒ๐ฆ
Though an imperfect democracy, most Moroccans enjoy a high degree of social and political freedom. The country is relatively safe and stable, barring the low-level conflict in Western Sahara.
In 2023, the UK received 344 asylum applications from Malaysia ๐ฒ๐พ
Though an imperfect democracy, Malaysia is widely regarded as relatively safe, stable, and democratic. It is well-developed, and a close economic partner of the UK.
It gets weirder.
In 2023, the UK received 413 asylum applications from members of the European Union ๐ช๐บ
This includes 126 applications from Poland, 61 applications from Romania, 45 applications from Hungary, and 34 applications from the Czech Republic ๐ต๐ฑ๐ท๐ด๐ญ๐บ๐จ๐ฟ
And there are also a number of applications from other safe, stable, democratic countries.
This includes 104 from the United States ๐บ๐ธ, 57 from Jamaica ๐ฏ๐ฒ, 18 from Chile ๐จ๐ฑ, 9 from Singapore ๐ธ๐ฌ, 8 from Canada ๐จ๐ฆ, and 7 from Japan ๐ฏ๐ต
Plainly, our asylum system is not working.
The UK receives thousands of spurious applications from safe, stable, democratic countries on an annual basis - one might reasonably question the motives behind these applications.
If the UK Government wants to continue offering asylum status, it should massively expand the list of countries considered 'safe' by default, and outright ban applications from other developed Western countries.
Why is taxpayer resource being spent on processing these claims?
This is plainly absurd.
If you want to check out these figures yourself, you can find them at the link below.
It's the 'Asylum applications, initial decisions and resettlement detailed datasets, year ending June 2024' dataset.
We often hear about absurd asylum decisions, with criminals spared from deportation by faceless tribunals.
But never forget, these decisions don't happen by accident. They're made by activist judges. Let me introduce you to some of them.
A ๐งต on the judges in our asylum system
First, some context.
In the UK, the Home Office is responsible for making decisions on immigration and asylum.
But these decisions can be reviewed by 'specialist' tribunals. These tribunals can block Home Office decisions, if they feel that these decisions contravene UK law.
The UK has only had specialist immigration tribunals since 1969. This system was expanded in 1971 - with the current iteration emerging in 2007.
These tribunals are full of activist lawyers and judges, with no incentive to consider political broader arguments around migration.
Who should we celebrate as our national heroes? ๐ฌ๐ง
There's a lot to be said for figures like Churchill, Wellington, and Nelson - but a 9th-century Saxon king could be the ideal hero for 21st-century Britain.
A ๐งต on why we should rediscover our love for Alfred the Great
Alfred was born in Wantage, Berkshire, in 849. He was the youngest son of Aethelwulf, King of Wessex.
At that time, England was divided between a number of Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, which jostled for supremacy. The largest of these kingdoms were Wessex and Mercia.
During the same period, England was suffering an increasing number of Viking raids, which mostly originated from Norway and Denmark.
Alfred's father, and his older brothers, spent much of the 840s and 850s fighting off these escalating raids, which often targeted monasteries.
Did you know that about 1.8 BILLION people are eligible to vote in UK elections, including millions from India, Pakistan, and Nigeria?
That's because, believe it or not, Commonwealth citizens can vote in UK elections.
A ๐งต on this loophole, and how it devalues UK citizenship
So why can Commonwealth citizens vote in UK elections? The story starts at the end of Britain's Empire, in the wake of World War 2.
Traditionally, those living in Britain's overseas dominions were considered British subjects, with the same rights as those in Great Britain.
But as global realities shifted, it became necessary to distinguish between British subjects, and those living in 'dominions' like South Africa, Australia, or India.
In 1948, the British Nationality Act created a distinction between British subjects and 'Commonwealth citizens'.
The Government is planning to introduce an official definition of Islamophobia - which could criminalise criticism of Muslim migration and even grooming gangs.
A ๐งต on the 'APPG definition of Islamophobia' and why it's so dangerous for free speech
Over the past 48 hours, I've received a deluge of anti-British comments from Indian accounts.
Many people in UK politics still think of India as a ready-made ally; we must not ignore the intense animus that many Indians feel towards us.
A ๐งต on Britain's misplaced Indophilia
So why am I receiving these comments in the first place?
On January 23rd, I responded to a video from India's Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, which glorified Subhas Chandra Bose.
Bose was a Nazi collaborator. He admired Hitler, and actively worked to undermine the British war effort.
In India, Bose (often known by the honorific 'Netaji') is celebrated as a hero.
To be clear, I don't care about who Indians celebrate as their national heroes. I do care about the misplaced Indophilia of many in British politics, who view India as a ready-made ally.
The 'r-somalia' page is one of the most interesting places on the Internet.
A community of more than 40,000, it's a fascinating insight into Somali culture. Lots of infighting between Somalis and Somalilanders, Somalis and Arabs, Somalis and Ethiopians...
Some highlights ๐งต
Under the post above - a discussion about integration amongst UK-based Somalis.
The consensus seems to be that second and third generation Somalis in the UK have integrated poorly - but the blame is largely placed with other Muslim communities, such as Arabs and Pakistanis.
Plenty of calls for reparations here.
"Actual retribution/reparations didnโt go far enough. British people may not have chosen colonialism but they sure still do benefit from it, reparations are in order."