Asylum seekers left on the streets

The Refugee Council has had to turn away more than 30 asylum
seekers who arrived at their south London offices asking for help.

Many of the group turned up after they were denied food and shelter
because they had not applied for asylum “as soon as reasonably
practicable”, as required by the Nationality, Immigration and
Asylum Act 2002.

Sara Tadese, 23, left Ethiopia after being tortured and imprisoned.
Her application for asylum was rejected earlier this month. She
said: “I have been sleeping out here for seven days now and I have
pains all over my body. People have been very good to us and they
have brought us food and water but we are all just so sad.”

Margaret Lally, acting chief executive of the Refugee Council,
said: “It is intolerable that this is happening in a civilised
society.”