Tory MP backs our bid to stop war hero's deportation

Tobias Ellwood among senior figures supporting Afghan pilot threatened with removal to Rwanda by the Home Office

- HOLLY BANCROFT KATE DEVLIN ADAM FORREST

An Afghan war hero threatened with deportation to Rwanda has exposed a "gaping hole" in our asylum system, senior figures warned yesterday, as they called for Britain to fulfil its "duty" to those who served alongside coalition forces.

The Independent revealed this week that the pilot was forced to flee Afghanistan - leaving his young family - and travel to the UK on a small boat because he could find no safe and legal route out of the country.

Chair of the defence select committee Tobias Ellwood said the case shows there is "no functioning process" that allows Afghans to apply for asylum from abroad, adding: "This is clearly not who we are as a nation."

Admiral Lord West, former head of the Royal Navy, added to the criticism, saying the government has a "duty" to look after those who fought alongside Britain.

Last night, Rishi Sunak promised to review the veteran's plight after he was questioned about The Independent's story during a grilling by MPs.

The pilot, who flew 30 combat missions against the Taliban and was praised by his coalition forces supervisor as a "patriot to his nation", claims he has been "forgotten" by US and British forces.

Tory MP Mr Ellwood told The Independent: "This case illustrates the gaping hole in the current system - there is no functioning process that allows Afghans to apply for asylum from abroad and there is something very wrong if pilots who worked alongside us in Afghanistan could now be sent to Rwanda."

He also called for the government to look at the case, saying: "This is clearly not who we are as a nation, and is not how our migration system should operate.

"I hope the government will look at this case specifically and address the wider issue of how an Afghan [who supported UK armed forces] can safely apply for asylum in the UK."