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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Brown steps into interpreters row | Brown steps into interpreters row |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Gordon Brown says he will review the cases of Iraqi interpreters who have been told any claim for asylum in the UK will not be given special treatment. | Gordon Brown says he will review the cases of Iraqi interpreters who have been told any claim for asylum in the UK will not be given special treatment. |
| The 91 interpreters say they are in fear for their lives, because they are seen as traitors by local militias. | The 91 interpreters say they are in fear for their lives, because they are seen as traitors by local militias. |
| The Home Office insists they will have to apply for asylum in the normal way - registering when they arrive in the UK. | The Home Office insists they will have to apply for asylum in the normal way - registering when they arrive in the UK. |
| Defence Secretary Des Browne told the BBC that the government took its "duty of care very seriously". | |
| He said about 20,000 Iraqis had helped British forces since 2003. | |
| No 10 said the issue would be kept under review, but previous decisions were unlikely to be overturned. | No 10 said the issue would be kept under review, but previous decisions were unlikely to be overturned. |
| As a matter of honour, we have to look after them one way or the other if they have a genuine case William Hague, shadow foreign secretary | |
| Requests for help from serving or ex-employees were based on their "individual merits", the MoD said. | Requests for help from serving or ex-employees were based on their "individual merits", the MoD said. |
| Mr Browne said: "The challenge that we face here is quite complex. | |
| "People who do interpreting work believe themselves to be particularly [more] vulnerable than other people do. | |
| "That's why the prime minister has made it clear that we will review how best to [carry out] our duty of care to these people. | |
| "That's in hand, I have a responsibility on that, as does the foreign secretary and we will report to ministers in the autumn." | |
| 'Extremely grateful' | |
| Mr Browne also said the government would "move at the appropriate pace" to get its policy right in relation to duty of care "to all of those whom we have a responsibility to". | |
| He said: "We will do what we can in the meantime, as we continue to do, to keep those people who we think are under immediate threat safe." | |
| A government spokeswoman said: "We are extremely grateful for the service of locally-employed staff in Iraq and take their security very seriously. | A government spokeswoman said: "We are extremely grateful for the service of locally-employed staff in Iraq and take their security very seriously. |
| "We recognise that there are concerns about the safety of former employees. Government keeps all such issues under review and we will now look again at the assistance we provide. | "We recognise that there are concerns about the safety of former employees. Government keeps all such issues under review and we will now look again at the assistance we provide. |
| "This is a genuinely complex issue and we welcome further discussion, but we need to consider all the options very carefully." | "This is a genuinely complex issue and we welcome further discussion, but we need to consider all the options very carefully." |
| Asylum granted | |
| BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner says interpreters are marked men who "face a horrific death". | BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner says interpreters are marked men who "face a horrific death". |
| He said the interpreters face two levels of danger: that experienced while on patrol, and the consequences of being seen as collaborators. | He said the interpreters face two levels of danger: that experienced while on patrol, and the consequences of being seen as collaborators. |
| "Anybody associated with the coalition, government ministries, and so on, they're all seen as traitors by the militias. | "Anybody associated with the coalition, government ministries, and so on, they're all seen as traitors by the militias. |
| "Not just by al-Qaeda in the Sunni areas, but by the Shia militias in the south." | "Not just by al-Qaeda in the Sunni areas, but by the Shia militias in the south." |
| The United States has said it will accept 7,000 Iraqis in the coming year, and after Denmark withdrew its troops, it granted asylum to 60 Iraqis and their families. | The United States has said it will accept 7,000 Iraqis in the coming year, and after Denmark withdrew its troops, it granted asylum to 60 Iraqis and their families. |
| Shadow foreign secretary William Hague said: "As a matter of honour, we have to look after them one way or the other if they have a genuine case." | Shadow foreign secretary William Hague said: "As a matter of honour, we have to look after them one way or the other if they have a genuine case." |
| An MoD spokesman said the government took the safety of local people who work for them "very seriously". | An MoD spokesman said the government took the safety of local people who work for them "very seriously". |
| He said "In operational theatres, we consider any specific requests for assistance from serving or ex-employees on their individual merits". | He said "In operational theatres, we consider any specific requests for assistance from serving or ex-employees on their individual merits". |