Ayaan Hirsi Ali should be offered sanctuary by the British government says Charles Moore in the current issue of the Spectator:
‘She is, in effect, a refugee – from a country which prides itself on looking after refugees… Wouldn’t it be an earnest of our government’s commitment to human rights if it offered this brave woman the protection which would enable her to live here?’
A Danish government minister has already offered asylum to Hirsi Ali in Denmark (a country which has learned no small amount recently about standing up to extremists). And in Libération today a group of French intellectuals including Andre Glucksmann and Bernard-Henri Levy demand a similar offer from the French government.
If the Dutch government can no longer remember how to stand up for freedom of conscience and freedom of expression perhaps other European countries – including Britain – should remind them of how it is done.
A good time for the UK government to make their offer is coming up. As Charles Moore notes in his Spectator piece:
‘Next month, Ayaan Hirsi Ali will visit Britain as the guest of the think tank the Centre for Social Cohesion.’
What better opportunity than November for the government of the UK to show that it defends the rights of those who stand up to religious fascism.
Comments (2)
Fantastic. How can I get tickets?
BTW, it is really pathetic that only two MPs, Michael Gove and Paul Goodman have signed the early-day motion, decrying the Dutch government for withdrawing support for Ayaan Hirsi Ali and urging it to reintroduce protection for her. I emailed my MP with a plea to sign it, but have not heard back yet.
J. Isaacs
Posted by J. Isaacs | October 29, 2007 3:28 PM
Posted on October 29, 2007 15:28
Yes, this would be a progressive action for a British government to take.
It should be noted that several thousand Somali economic migrants have already, with less due cause than Hirsi Ali has, transferred their place of residence from the Netherlands to the UK.
Well done, Centre for Social Cohesion for inviting here to the UK next month.
Posted by Thomas Pellow | October 23, 2007 12:35 PM
Posted on October 23, 2007 12:35