Charities urge politicians to prevent further violence against asylum seekers

UK charities have warned that the disorder seen in Knowsley at the weekend could be repeated across the country unless political leaders “take a clear stand” and condemn violence against asylum seekers.

An open letter has been signed by more than 100 organisations after “horrifying” scenes outside a Merseyside hotel housing asylum seekers on Friday, in which fireworks were thrown at officers and a police van was attacked with hammers and set alight.

Coalition campaign Together With Refugees co-ordinated the letter, which criticised “inflammatory language” and policies that “demonise” people seeking refuge, and warned of a “high risk of more premeditated extremist attacks around the country” after the violence outside the Suites Hotel in Knowsley, north-west England.

The letter had more than 100 signatories, including Liverpool City of Sanctuary, Care4Calais, Share Knowsley and the Refugee Council.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman has faced repeated criticism for her rhetoric describing migrants crossing the English Channel.

She prompted an outcry in November when she told MPs that the south coast was facing an “invasion” of illegal migrants.

UK coastguard responds to migrant emergency in English Channel - in pictures

A life boat returns to the Port of Dover in England amid a rescue operation of a missing migrant boat. Reuters
Police and coastguard officers gather at Dover. People are feared to have died after a small boat carrying migrants got into difficulty in the English Channel. Reuters
Air Ambulance personnel arrive in Dover. EPA
Forensic tents at the lifeboat rescue station are set up at the port. AP
Ambulances at the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) station in Dover. PA
The RNLI station being readied to receive boats returning from the incident in the English Channel. PA
An ambulance arrives at the port. PA

The charities said people in the asylum system had “already suffered terribly”, fleeing war and persecution in places such as Afghanistan, Sudan, Syria and Iran.

Describing Britain’s asylum system as “broken”, the organisations said people were forced into a period of “limbo” as they waited for a decision on their claim to stay in the UK and often ended up in hotels which they called “a completely inappropriate form of accommodation”.

The charities called on those in charge to “create a system that is fair and compassionate and brings cohesion instead of division”.

“Having already experienced great hardship, these men, women and children who come here for protection are now faced with violence, fuelled by inflammatory language of ‘invasion’ and policies that demonise them," they said.

“The responsibility to create a system that is fair and compassionate and brings cohesion instead of division lies with our decision-makers.

“With the high risk of more premeditated extremist attacks around the country, leaders of all parties must now take a clear stand and condemn any further violence against those who come here to find safety and set out the action they will take to prevent it.”

Nearly 700 migrants cross English Channel beating 2022 record - in pictures

The charities said those responsible for inciting anger and violence brought “shame on this country” and were in the minority.

“This does not reflect the people of Britain. This is not who we are," they added.

Ewan Roberts, centre manager of Asylum Link Merseyside, said his area had a “proud history of welcoming refugees and the horrifying incident on Friday night does not represent the people of Knowsley”.

“The people staying in temporary accommodation came to us seeking our help and instead had the experience of being under siege by a violent mob," he said.

“We urge politicians to stop using rhetoric that fuels such hatred, condemn this violence and start doing the real work of clearing the backlog instead.”

Afghan migrant documents dangerous journey across Channel - video

Former refugee Sabir Zazai, who is now chairman of Together With Refugees — a coalition of more than 500 national and local organisations — said the issue was not about party politics but rather “basic human decency”.

“The very least all political leaders could do is to condemn the attack on people seeking sanctuary in our communities," he said.

“Leaders of all political parties must call for the ending of these hostile policies and hateful language that only fuels division and anger.”

Fifteen people were arrested during a demonstration outside the hotel in Knowsley on Friday, including a man who appeared in court on Monday charged with violent disorder and assault by beating of an emergency services worker.

Jared Skeete, 19, of Irwell Close, Aigburth, Liverpool, was remanded in custody to appear before Liverpool Crown Court on March 13.

The remaining 12 men and two women, most of whom are from the Knowsley area, were conditionally bailed pending the outcome of police inquiries.

The bio

Favourite book: Kane and Abel by Jeffrey Archer

Favourite quote: “The world makes way for the man who knows where he is going.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson, American essayist

Favourite Authors: Arab poet Abu At-Tayyib Al-Mutanabbi

Favourite Emirati food: Luqaimat, a deep-fried dough soaked in date syrup

Hobbies: Reading and drawing

On Women's Day

Dr Nawal Al-Hosany: Why more women should be on the frontlines of climate action

Shelina Janmohamed: Why shouldn't a spouse be compensated fairly for housework?

Samar Elmnhrawy: How companies in the Middle East can catch up on gender equality

The National Editorial: Is there much to celebrate on International Women's Day 2021?

Jeff Buckley: From Hallelujah To The Last Goodbye
By Dave Lory with Jim Irvin

War 2

Director: Ayan Mukerji

Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana

Rating: 2/5

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Conflict, drought, famine

Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.

Band Aid

Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.

'The worst thing you can eat'

Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.

Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:

Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.

Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.

Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.

Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.

Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.

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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.

8. Pillar 2 implementation

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer