Sports
Call to help resettle more Afghans
Campaigners have called on the government to make it easier for Afghans who worked with the British military to be resettled in the UK.
The main resettlement scheme is restricted to those deemed at significant enough risk, such as interpreters and translators.
However, it does not cover jobs such as mechanics, chefs and drivers.
The Sulha Alliance charity said such individuals were also at risk of attacks by the Taliban.
Under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) scheme, Afghan citizens who worked with the UK government in “exposed or meaningful roles” may be eligible to be relocated to the UK, along with their family members.
The Sulha Alliance – which supports Afghans who worked for the British Army – has given evidence to MPs on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Select Committee, which is looking at the government’s response to the UK withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 after the country fell to the Taliban.
Documents sent to MPs on the committee include the story of a 35-year-old former mechanic who worked with the British military in Afghanistan – and was refused resettlement by the UK government under the ARAP scheme.
The Sulha Alliance says that last month, members of the Taliban found his 87-year-old father and demanded to know where his son was hiding.
They say he refused to tell them and was beaten to death.
The evidence claims that before he died in hospital, he said the Taliban had told him they would kill him because his son was a “traitor” for working with the West.
The documents were submitted ahead of an appearance by Foreign Office Minister Lord Ahmad before the Foreign Affairs Select Committee later.
Peter Gordon-Finlayson, a former army captain who co-founded the Sulha Alliance, said he was concerned about how the government is assessing the levels of risk involved for Afghans wishing to be resettled in the UK.
He said the government argues that Afghans working in roles other than interpreters were not on the ground with British troops and so were not directly seen by the Taliban and the local community as working alongside the UK, putting them at less risk.
“Unfortunately that is not quite true,” he told the BBC.
“The reality is that those who were recruited to be mechanics and chefs and so on and support the British Army, were recruited locally from the areas around where the British military camps were – and so they were known within the community – and they were seen every day going in and out of British army bases, so they are very much at risk.”
It is understood the government has indicated to campaigners there are no plans to change the ARAP scheme to include more professions.
Mr Gordon-Finlayson said if the government would not change the ARAP scheme, they should adapt other schemes to make it easier for people like the mechanic highlighted by the Sulha Alliance to be resettled in the UK.
The government runs a second scheme for vulnerable Afghan refugees known as the Afghan Citizens’ Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) – but at the moment the only way to apply is through a recommendation from one of a number of specific organisations such as the UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency.
Mr Gordon-Finlayson said: “We’d like to see a scheme where individuals can apply directly to that pathway to be able to be brought to the UK in a safe and legal way.
“Those who worked with us are now in hiding permanently, not able to work, therefore not able to support their families and that also plays havoc with mental health,” he said.
“So there’s a lot of desperate people out there who are feeling very isolated and like their service to the UK was the worst mistake that they could make for both them and their family.
“I fear for the next major military operation that we as a country embark upon, that we will struggle to recruit brave men and women from the local community to do these crucial role to support us.”
The charity’s evidence also raises concerns among campaigners about why some applications are taking so long.It believes some former interpreters are finding it difficult to have their resettlement confirmed because their contracts with British forces were previously terminated.
Mr Gordon-Finlayson said: “I know from my time in Afghanistan that interpreters had their employment terminated because of petty squabbles amongst the interpreters – who owned the TV in the interpreters’ tent – or something like that…
“Some people who were let go for reasons that were not genuine national security threats are now stuck in Afghanistan because of the way that their contract with the UK forces ended, and that strikes us as unfair.”
A government spokesperson said: “The UK has made an ambitious and generous commitment to help at-risk people in Afghanistan and, so far, we have brought around 24,600 people to safety, including thousands of people eligible for our Afghan schemes. “We continue to honour our commitments to bring eligible Afghans to the UK.”
— Reports /TrainViral/
Argentina beat Colombia to win a record 16th Copa America but the game was marred by the kick-off being delayed by 80 minutes because of trouble outside the ground in Miami.
Lautaro Martinez struck in the second half of extra time from Giovani lo Celso’s through ball to secure the win.
Captain Lionel Messi was left in tears when he had to be replaced midway through the second half after injuring himself while chasing for the ball – but was celebrating his country’s third successive major tournament at the final whistle.
Kick-off was delayed because of chaos outside the Hard Rock Stadium.
Organisers said ticketless fans tried to get into the ground, leaving some fans waiting for hours in the Miami heat for the gates to open.
Fans and police officers and security clashed with several arrests made. Several supporters needed treatment from paramedics.
On top of that the half-time break lasted for 25 minutes because of a concert by Colombian popstar Shakira on the pitch, a move that was criticised by Colombia boss Nestor Lorenzo beforehand.
It was a game of few clear chances in hot, humid conditions, with Colombia’s Jhon Cordoba hitting the woodwork in the first half.
Argentina thought they had taken the lead with 15 minutes to go but Nicolas Tagliafico’s effort was ruled out for offside.
Martinez would end up as the hero – and win the Golden Boot with five goals.
What now for Messi after Copa America glory?
Lionel Messi went off injured in the second half
Messi had never won a senior international tournament until the age of 34 and now he has won three in three years after the 2021 Copa America and 2022 World Cup.
The final was played at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami – which is just over 20 miles from the city of Fort Lauderdale, where Messi’s Inter Miami club play.
The 37-year-old said before this tournament he had yet to make a decision on whether he will play on for his country until the next World Cup, which is also in the US – as well as Canada and Mexico.
His powers seem to be waning and his only goal of the tournament came in the semi-final win over Canada. He missed a penalty in the quarter-final shootout against Ecuador.
In this game he was hurt by a tackle in the first half and hobbled off in the second period, holding an ice pack on his ankle on the bench.
Is this his final major tournament appearance of a legendary career?
It was certainly the final appearance of Angel di Maria’s international career. The 145-times capped player had already announced he would retire from the international stage after this.
Trouble before the game
There were problems getting fans into the ground for kick-off
The delays before the game were more bad news for organisers – with the Hard Rock Stadium due to host games at the 2026 World Cup.
In the semi-finals in Charlotte, Uruguay players clashed with Colombia fans after the final whistle – because they were worried about the safety of their families.
Players’ families were affected too in Miami.
Roberto Garnacho, brother of Argentina winger Alejandro Garnacho, wrote on social media: “What a shame CONMEBOL, the families not being able to enter the stadium, unbelievable.
“We were with [Argentina defender Marcos Acuna’s] family outside, getting away from the fights… Argentina’s security had to come get us, children of players crying, people entering without tickets.”
Colombia’s wait goes on
Colombia had been unbeaten in 28 games, a run stretching over two years going back to a World Cup qualifier against Argentina.
But their only Copa America triumph remains the 2001 success in their home country.
They had chances against the Argentines, most notably when Cordoba hit the post early on with a hooked volley.
Writtes /BBC/
Reports /Trainviral/
Ex-Conservative Party deputy chairman Lee Anderson has defected to Reform UK.
Mr Anderson was suspended as a Conservative MP after refusing to apologise for claims Islamists had “control” of London Mayor Sadiq Khan.
The defection ends weeks of speculation about the Ashfield MP and TV presenter’s future.
Mr Anderson said he had been given the chance to “speak out in Parliament on behalf of millions of people up and down the country” who support Reform.
He becomes Reform UK’s first ever MP, representing a party polling around 10% of national voting intention.
Speaking at a press conference, Mr Anderson said he was “prepared to gamble on myself” because he said he knew “how many people support Reform and what they have to say”.
“All I want is my country back,” he added.
Reform UK founder and honorary president Nigel Farage said called the defection “huge”. He said: “I don’t think Westminster really understands this yet.”
Mr Anderson ruled out calling a by-election in his own seat, telling the BBC it “would be pretty reckless for me to suggest a by-election when we could have a general election in May”.
Two years ago, Mr Anderson backed a failed bid to let constituents trigger a by-election when their MP changes parties.
Home Secretary James Cleverly said Mr Anderson had “made a real mistake” in defecting from the Conservatives.
“Reform is not the answer,” he added.
Mr Cleverly said he agreed with Mr Anderson’s comments from January this year, when he said a “vote for Reform will only let the Labour party in”.
Red Wall ‘champion’
Mr Anderson was elected in 2019 to the Red Wall seat of Ashfield with a 5,700 vote majority – having previously served as a Labour councillor for his home town.
The son of a coal miner, Mr Anderson belonged to Arthur Scargill’s National Union of Mineworkers. His first job in politics was working in the office of local Labour MP Gloria De Piero, serving as district councillor at the same time.
After switching to the Conservative Party, the staunch Brexit supporter became an ally of former prime minister Boris Johnson.
He was made deputy chairman of the Conservative Party in February last year, but resigned in January to rebel against Rishi Sunak’s Rwanda bill.
Announcing Mr Anderson’s defection, Reform UK Leader Richard Tice said his party had founds a “champion” for its plans to supplant the Conservatives in the Red Wall.
Mr Anderson was a “person of great integrity”, Mr Tice added.
The Reform leader said: “I think millions of British people endorsed the concerns and sentiments of what Lee was saying, which is that we are sick and tired of our streets being taken over by these pro-Hamas, extremist, antisemitic people and Islamist extremists.”
Reform UK has confirmed he will stand for Ashfield in the general election, superseding Henry Grisewood – who the party had initially chosen.
Pat McFadden, Labour’s National Campaign Coordinator, said Mr Anderson’s defection showed “the Conservatives are falling apart”.
“The truth is that the prime minister is too weak to lead a party too extreme to be led,” he said.
Some of Mr Anderson’s former colleagues criticised his defection – saying it made “a less conservative Britain more likely”.
The New Conservatives, made up mostly of 2019 Tory Red Wall MPs like Mr Anderson, said “the responsibility for Lee’s defection sits with the Conservative Party”.
In a statement, the group argued the Tory party’s failure to stick to the promises of the 2019 general election had led to split in the party.
Mr Anderson sparked a backlash after he claimed last month that the capital had been “taken over” amid the weekly pro-Palestinian protests over the war in Gaza.
In an interview with GB News, Mr Anderson said: “I don’t actually believe that these Islamists have got control of our country, but what I do believe is that they’ve got control of Khan, they’ve got control of London.
“He’s actually given our capital city away to his mates.”
Mr Anderson was stripped of the Tory whip after he refused to apologise for the remarks. He instead doubled down on his comments although conceded his phrasing was “clumsy”.
Analysis by BBC chief political correspondent Henry Zeffman
Lee Anderson’s decision to join Reform is unquestionably a significant blow for Rishi Sunak and the Conservatives.
Despite having no MPs and just a small handful of councillors, Reform are reliably polling around 10%. That is a high enough figure that some Conservative MPs believe it is as important for them to win back voters they are losing to Reform as it is those who are switching to Labour.
By giving Reform a parliamentary figurehead for the first time, Mr Anderson may make it harder for the Conservatives to reunite the right.
There are some important caveats. Most importantly, Mr Anderson is not making his defection from a position of strength. He was suspended from the Conservative ranks at Westminster after accusing Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, of being controlled by Islamists.
Mr Anderson refused to apologise for his comments, making his suspension all but inevitable. There was grumbling from some Conservatives who wanted Mr Anderson to be handed a clear path back into the fold – but any such route would almost certainly have required him to apologise, which he again refused to do today.
It’s also worth noting that while Mr Anderson is well-known in Westminster for his pugnacious style, and has a show on GB News, he is not exactly a major national figure. Arguably a more worrying announcement for the Conservatives would have been the return of Nigel Farage to active campaigning duties.
Yet one person who definitely does rate Mr Anderson’s ability to connect with a slice of the British public is the prime minister himself. Mr Sunak appointed Mr Anderson a deputy chairman of the Conservative Party in February last year. And as recently as January Mr Anderson starred with him in a campaign video about how “we should be so proud of our country”.
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