Priti Patel greets Afghan refugees at Heathrow

Priti Patel spoke to families arriving at London’s Heathrow from Kabul on Thursday, the third day the airport welcomed refugees fleeing Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.

“My colleagues in government and internationally and in the region are looking at safe passage and safe and legal routes,” the home secretary said. She also said Afghans should not attempt to reach Britain via unauthorised means, prompting questions over how the Home Office will offer them safe routes to the UK.

Patel’s comments came just hours before suicide explosions killed at least 95 people near Kabul airport.