In a speech yesterday at the American Enterprise Institute think tank in Washington, Braverman argued that the UN's 1951 Refugee Convention needs to be revised, saying that it is 'out of step with the modern age' and that the Convention has 'failed' in some cases because it poses a security threat.

'NEED FOR RESPONSIBILITY SHARING, NOT REFORM'

Reacting to Braverman's statement, UNHCR emphasised that the Convention is already a reality and that "the need is not for reform or a more restrictive interpretation, but for a stronger and more consistent application of the Convention and its underlying 'principle of responsibility-sharing'".

The UN Refugee Agency drew attention to the refugee problem in the UK and said: "UNHCR has made concrete and practical proposals to the UK Government on this issue and continues to support constructive and ongoing efforts to address the current asylum backlog."

WHAT DID BRAVERMAN SAY?

Braverman made the following statements in his speech;

"In my meetings with other European Interior Ministers a few weeks ago, we talked about the renewal of the Refugee Convention, as I mentioned today. Although we have different views, what we all have in common is that we live in a new world and we should not be bound by outdated legal models."