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UK Home Secretary feud over Afghan refugee housing

The Arab News reported The Times has said, UK Home Secretary Priti Patel undermined attempts by Health Secretary Sajid Javid to force local authorities in Britain to house Afghan refugees.
The move by Patel to overrule Javid has meant that more than 12,000 Afghans who were evacuated to the UK in the wake of the Taliban takeover are still living in hotels around Britain. The two ministers also fought over moves to house Afghans in holiday resorts.
Only about 3,000 of the 15,000 Afghans evacuated to the UK have been provided with permanent homes.
The failure has been partly due to the UK government battling with council authorities over refugee allocation, with some councils refusing to house Afghans and others reporting full capacity.
The ministerial dispute occurred after the formation of a senior committee to oversee housing, education and healthcare for Afghan refugees.
Javid urged the mandatory imposition of refugee allocation on all councils in the country — a proposal that would supersede the current voluntary system.

One minister on the committee said: “Javid argued for mandating local authorities to take a certain number and pointed out that it wouldn’t be that many if we shared the burden in that way. But the Home Office didn’t take it forward.
“It was always going to be difficult because of the shortage of social housing. But the numbers aren’t great if you just divide them across local authorities.”
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However, a Home Office source told The Times: “Instinctively, we don’t like forcing councils to do something, but we’re not opposed to it. But what needs to be done is a cross-government effort to persuade more councils to come forward. That’s why we’ll look at it if the situation doesn’t improve.”
Stretched housing capacity is one of the many issues behind the reluctance of some councils to accept Afghan refugees.
A government source said: “I was very struck that some of the urban councils which have the strongest record on refugees were very reluctant to take more because the asylum seekers issue meant they were at full capacity.”
As the refugee housing policy began to face significant problems, government officials considered using holiday resorts as a temporary alternative, but Javid blocked the move, citing concerns over the creation of ghettos.
A source said: “Using camps to house people was hugely unsatisfactory because there is no chance to integrate.
“Families would be surrounded by other people in the same situation as them so they’re not going to be able to integrate. It would become a ghettoed community.”
Source: arabnews
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BENEFIT AGM approves 10%...
- March 27, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).
Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.
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