On 9 December 2024, during a debate about the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill, Nick intervened in a speech by Labour MP Chris Murray to make the following point and ask a question.
“It is clear from the Manchester attack inquiry report that the asylum system is a big part of the story. Salman Abedi and his brother Hashem—who planned the attack and prepared the explosives, and was as guilty of the attack as Salman—were born in Britain to Libyan asylum seeker parents. Their father, Ramadan Abedi, was a member of the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group, an Islamist militia. He was granted asylum in this country, but travelled back and forth between Britain and Libya throughout that time, which is a story that we often hear about people who are granted asylum here. Given the number of people who come here illegally and across the channel, whom we have no ability to investigate and on whom we cannot make checks, how does the hon. Gentleman think we might reform the asylum system to prevent such things from happening again?”
Mr Murray’s response failed to address the question of the asylum system.
See Hansard, Column 734, 9 December 2024: https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2024-12-09/debates/680523AB-9CD6-4BCC-BCB7-0D569C2044C6/Terrorism(ProtectionOfPremises)Bill
