Britain has passed a law that removes almost all rights from people escaping violence, torture and starvation who want to settle in the UK. Those claiming asylum in what was once ‘great’ Britain will now supposedly be put on planes and sent to Rwanda which the UK Supreme Court defined as unsafe. The new law passed by cruel cowards declares that Rwanda is actually safe regardless of evidence - it is the legal equivalent of declaring black to be white.
I don’t usually write about politics on my Substack but this morning it feels almost impossible to not comment or express some emotion at what has happened.
A couple of years ago I saw a play at The Bush Theatre in West London that continues to affect me emotionally and politically. The P Word is written by Waleed Akhtar and tells the story of two men of Pakistani heritage who are in Britain under very different circumstances. Bilal (known as Billy) has lived in the UK all his life whereas Zafar is seeking asylum in the country due to homophobic beatings he suffered in Pakistan.
The play shows the heartless and arbitrary nature of the UK Immigration system and how it is a complete waste of money and resources with refugees unable to work and decisions made to deport people in secret and without giving opportunities for legal representation
As I say in the review this play shines a light on some very dark places that 99% of the UK population would be completely shocked by if they were aware of them.
The P Word rightly won an Olivier Award in 2022. It deserves another theatre run now because it is an excellent play and shows us all the power of art to raise awareness through emotional storytelling.
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