UK Civil Servant Alleges Racism and Misconduct in Illegal Migration Taskforce

A former senior civil servant has accused officials in the UK government's illegal migration taskforce of using dehumanizing language, ignoring legal advice, and aiming to "ambush" the Treasury with the costs of the controversial Rwanda deportation scheme. Rowaa Ahmar, who served as the head of policy at the taskforce, claims she faced a hostile and racist working environment before being forced out of her roles.

Ahmar, who is of Egyptian and French dual heritage, alleges that taskforce officials disregarded warnings about the legality and costs of the Rwanda plan, and used offensive language to describe migrants. She claims they referred to "bloody migrants" and were advised by France that using "turnaround tactics" to send boats back was unacceptable due to the risk, but they "didn't care if these people would die." "I raised concerns about racism but was increasingly blocked from meetings before being told my secondment from the Treasury was ending abruptly for 'poor behavior'," Ahmar stated.

Why this matters: The allegations raise serious concerns about the government's approach to dealing with asylum seekers, particularly vulnerable children, and the transparency and accountability of the policymaking process. The claims suggest a disregard for due process and the wellbeing of individuals in the handling of the controversial Rwanda deportation scheme.

Ahmar also alleges that she was told not to mention the high cost of the Rwanda scheme to the Treasury so they could "surprise" them. She initially filed a tribunal claim alleging racism but withdrew it, stating that she stands by the substance of her allegations. The Cabinet Office has denied the claims as "completely unfounded" and said Ahmar's behavior in the taskforce was "negative and problematic."

The civil servant's grievances were allegedly ignored by managers, and she claims that Cabinet Secretary Simon Case, as the top civil servant in the Cabinet Office, failed to protect her. Ahmar ultimately resigned from the Civil Service, citing a lack of trust and confidence due to what she described as the "pervasive and systemic " nature of racism within the Cabinet Office. The Cabinet Office maintains that the allegations are baseless, but the tribunal ruled this week that the details of the case could be reported after previously being kept confidential.

Key Takeaways

• Former civil servant Rowaa Ahmar accuses UK govt of dehumanizing language, ignoring legal advice
• Alleges officials disregarded risks, referred to "bloody migrants" in Rwanda scheme
• Ahmar claims she faced hostile, racist environment before being forced out of roles
• Allegations raise concerns about transparency, accountability in policymaking
• Cabinet Office denies claims, says Ahmer's behavior was "negative and problematic"