Property entrepreneur Russell Quirk launched a scathing attack on Britain's asylum system during a GB News appearance, expressing outrage over an Afghan migrant who spent eight weeks holidaying in his homeland despite being granted protection from persecution.
"They're laughing at us. They're absolutely laughing at us," Mr Quirk declared on the programme.
He highlighted the case of an individual who claimed to face persecution yet returned to Afghanistan for an extended holiday, even enjoying leisure activities like riding a ferris wheel before safely returning to Britain.
"This is a guy fully in persecution who goes back home for eight weeks, on a ferris wheel and getting back fine," Mr Quirk stated.
Russell Quirk erupted on GB News as he discussed the trip
|GB NEWS
The commentator expressed regret that the individual returned to the UK after his trip, saying: "It's good he went, it's a shame he came back."
His remarks come amid broader concerns about potential exploitation of Britain's asylum system, with reports suggesting some Afghan nationals have travelled back to their homeland despite being resettled on grounds of Taliban persecution.
Mr Quirk drew a stark comparison between Britain's asylum approval statistics and those of France, questioning why the UK accepts approximately 60 per cent of applications whilst France approves merely 5 per cent.
"They grant something like 60 per cent of asylum cases, France does about five per cent. Why is that? Go figure," he said during his GB News appearance.
Small boat arrivals have outpaced both Boris Johnson's and Rishi Sunak's under Sir Keir Starmer | GB NEWS
The commentator condemned the entire asylum framework as fraudulent, declaring: "It's a complete and utter sham."
He also criticised the demographic composition of asylum seekers, stating: "It's all fighting age men as well."
Mr Quirk pointed to government resources that detail benefits available to asylum seekers, suggesting this information encourages exploitation of the system.
"You can look at the Home Office website and I kid you not, it tells asylum seekers, 'this is what you get'," he explained.
The migrant's holiday raised doubts over the credibility of the refugee scheme
|GB NEWS
His comments concluded with a reference to recent political developments, saying: "No wonder Nigel Farage and Zia Yusuf announced what they did this week."
These allegations emerge against the backdrop of Britain's extensive Afghan resettlement programmes, which have relocated over 36,000 individuals since 2021 at an estimated cost between £5.5 billion and £6 billion.
Recent reports have highlighted potential abuse of the Afghanistan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP), established to protect Afghans who assisted British forces.
An anonymous former Afghan interpreter told Sky News that a black market has developed, offering forged Taliban threat letters for £740-£1,110.
The source alleged that some applicants submitted fabricated torture videos, including footage of individuals shooting at their own vehicles or repurposing internet content as evidence.
Media outlets have documented instances of resettled Afghans returning to their homeland for holidays, including one individual known as 'DG Usama' who posted social media content from tourist destinations in Band-e-Amir and Takhar before flying back to London via Dubai.
The interpreter claimed "hundreds" of Afghan asylum seekers have made similar journeys home, despite UK regulations typically prohibiting returns to countries where persecution was claimed.
The Ministry of Defence maintains that all applicants undergo thorough vetting procedures.