We owe an undeniable debt to the Afghans who worked with British forces

Editorial: The Afghans are far from their former homes and may never be able to return to them

British armed forces evacuate civilians and their families out of Kabul in August 2021 (MoD via Getty)

Such has been the recent relentless focus on the return of David Cameron, Suella Braverman’s sacking and the legality of the Rwanda plan that the people obviously most concerned with the future of the asylum system – the refugees themselves – have almost been forgotten.

While judges and politicians argue about public opinion and international law, perfectly genuine refugees who’ve helped the UK in its moment of need have been left to languish in appalling conditions. These The Independent reports on today – Afghan nationals who worked for crown forces in the long, pitiless war against the Taliban, the worst enemy on Earth.

They have had their claims for asylum recognised under the Afghan relocations and assistance policy (Arap) as allies of Britain, who worked in “exposed or meaningful roles”. They risked their lives for Britain, and would certainly have been tortured and perished had they been left behind. Britain has given them shelter, but little else. They have been forgotten, and they do not deserve that.