Government has received ‘no request’ for Assad’s British wife to come to UK
The Government has had “no contact or no request” for the British wife of Bashar Assad to come to the UK, a Cabinet minister has said.
Pat McFadden told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that the issue is “not something that’s been raised” with the Government.
Asma Assad was born in London in 1975, and was raised and educated in the city. She is now believed to be in Moscow with her husband, where the ousted Syrian leader has fled.
The rapid collapse of the Assad regime saw a coalition of rebel groups seize control of Damascus on Sunday.
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Mr McFadden was asked by the BBC what the Government would do if Mrs Assad wanted to live in the UK.
Rights
He told the station: “The family are in Russia as far as we know, that’s what Russian state media have said.
“We’ve certainly had no contact or no request for Mr Assad’s wife to come to the UK.”
Pushed again on whether she could exercise the right to come to the UK, Mr McFadden added: “I couldn’t comment on her individual rights.
“I don’t know her exact circumstances, so I don’t know what would happen in those circumstances, but it’s not something that’s been raised with us.”
Concern
He also suggested that the Government would not have to think about it “unless it’s raised with us”.
“From the point of view of the UK Government, our main concern at the moment is what the future is, whether the rights of citizens and minorities are protected and whether stability can come to a country that has had so much violence and war over the past 15 years,” Mr McFadden added.
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She still retains her citizenship, good lord !
Lammy not Lemmy must have read me, I’d liken him to a goose necked deep sea barnacle, they wash up on logs and buoys that have crossed the Atlantic then dry out leaving a good likeness of the Organ Grinder of ‘Moscow’, citizens of nowhere…another dead man walking…
Never in a million years would that be allowed. She is every bit as guilty as her husband. I hope this pair will be brought to justice for crimes against Humanity, and rightly so.
She’s the wife of a wealthy man who, since he propped him up for years, Putin is likely to take very good care of (at least for the next few years while people are paying attention), so why would she even bother trying to come here? Why is this even a question? Anywhere in Europe, he would run the risk of facing war crimes charges and I doubt that she’s confident that she wouldn’t also face some charges so she would probably avoid putting it to the test. Of course, it’s ridiculous to say that she’s as guilty as he… Read more »