By Isle of Wight Observer
An accidental data breach in 2022 included the names of 18,714 Afghans who had applied for asylum, claiming they worked with British forces during the Afghanistan war. The error came to light in 2023 when an Afghan whose asylum claim had been refused, leaked part of the list on Facebook.
A super-injunction obtained by the then Conservative government in September 2023 prohibited disclosure of both the security leak and the injunction itself to Parliament or the public, saying the information might reach the Taliban. Meanwhile a secret relocation scheme was set up that included many not eligible for asylum under any other scheme. The injunction was repeatedly renewed, including in November by the Labour government which was elected last July. It was finally lifted earlier this month following an internal review that deemed the threat ‘minimal’.
The UK government now faces estimated costs of up to £7 billion to relocate as many as 100,000 people, including family members. Further costs may come as legal action is expected from some affected Afghans.
The episode has triggered widespread public anger, raising serious concerns about transparency, accountability, and national security. The secret relocation scheme has now closed, but its consequences will last for generations.
Any MP aware of the scheme could have disclosed it under parliamentary privilege, which allows Members of Parliament to speak freely during proceedings without fear of legal repercussions, including breaching injunctions.
We asked our MPs for their thoughts.
Richard Quigley – IW West (Labour)
When the Taliban returned to power in 2021, thousands of Afghans who had supported British forces were left in grave danger. The United Kingdom had a clear moral obligation to support them, and the resettlement routes created to do so had cross-party backing.
The current government inherited a highly secretive and deeply-flawed system, shaped by an unprecedented data breach under the previous Conservative government. Since taking office, I am satisfied that Labour has thoroughly reviewed the risks, costs, and implications for public transparency.
Following an independent review that confirmed the threat had diminished, the government made the right decision to close the scheme and bring it into the public domain.
However, public anger and suspicion are entirely understandable. Concerns about individuals with prior convictions must be taken seriously. But we must also recognise the grave danger that earlier disclosure could have posed to innocent lives. Protecting those who stood with us in conflict is a duty we must uphold.
As the Defence Secretary rightly said: “This is one of the most comprehensive failures of ministerial leadership and competence in recent times.” Those responsible for this failure must be held accountable and those who stood with our troops must be protected; I will do all I can to support the government in ensuring that happens.
Joe Robertson – IW East (Conservative)
I am very concerned by what we have learned about the incompetence and subsequent cover-up at the Ministry of Defence in relation to people from Afghanistan involved in the coalition operation going back to 2001. There are serious questions to answer, not just by political leaders, but professional leaders in the MoD and armed forces.
Given the serious and potentially damaging leak in 2021, I understand why the court granted an initial injunction on national security grounds but I cannot see any good reason why injunctions were reapplied for and granted well after the initial assessment of what went wrong had been done. It looks like the process moved into becoming a good old-fashioned cover-up.
Besides the cover-up, there are two important issues here. First is the ability to fight wars in the future if we cannot guarantee the safety of local foreigners who help our troops fight in their country. Second, is the abuse of the resettlement scheme for those people. It failed to guarantee the safety of too many of those who put their lives at risk helping Britain, but has plainly provided resettlement for bogus claimants due to the incompetence of the MoD acting under the secrecy of an injunction.
From health to welfare and immigration to defence, the British state seems to be increasingly lacking the basic competence we were once famous for.
