Dominic Raab under fire in BBC clash over Afghan pilot facing deportation

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Justice Secretary Dominic Raab struggled to deliver answers today when he was repeatedly challenged by the BBC over the veteran veteran controversy Afghan threatened with deportation to Rwanda.

The Independent revealed this week that the Afghan pilot was forced to flee the Taliban and travel to the UK on a small boat because he could find no safe and legal route out of the country.

< p>During tense exchanges with BBC's Justin Webb on Radio 4Today, the deputy prime minister was told the pilot was 'desperate'.

When Mr Raab claimed there were 'safe and legal' ways for Afghans to seek asylum in the UK - Webb fired back saying the pilot would have been "killed" by the Taliban if he had asked for their permission to leave.

After being pressed four times if the pilo te would be 'deported', Mr Raab said the government was determined to crack down on 'the criminal gangs that fuel the illegal asylum trade'.

The exchanges began when Webb asked Mr. Raab: "I want to bring to you the case of an Afghan pilot who is in this country who spoke to The Independent a lot and who came here illegally across the Channel. What should happen to him?"

The Deputy Prime Minister said: "I don't want to comment on individual cases…", before the host of the BBC insists: "He would be happy for you to comment because he is desperate."

Mr. Raab said, "The rules for asylum seekers include vulnerable people from Afghanistan, we want to make sure there are safe and reliable routes."

But Webb said, "Sorry to interrupt you. This guy didn't follow those rules - he said they were impossible because he would have to get permission from the government to leave Afghanistan and he couldn't go public because he would be killed by them.

< p>"If someone was a pilot in the Afghan Air Force and worked with us and came here illegally, do they ALWAYS have to follow these rules - and potentially be deported ?"

Mr. Raab said: "That's why we've created a safe and legal course...", before the Today presenter pressed him again: "But if he doesn't not tracked, throw it away?"

Mr. Raab: "That's not entirely accurate. Of course, getting out of Afghanistan is difficult, but there is a safe and legal route. We are setting up flights before Kabul is evacuated, others can do via neighboring countries. But what is also clear is that we cannot continue to create...