The BBC has issued an apology and made retrospective edits to a segment of Radio 4’s Thought for the Day following comments from the head of a refugee foundation, who labeled remarks by Robert Jenrick regarding asylum seekers as 'xenophobia'.
Krish Kandiah, a theologian and leader of the Sanctuary Foundation, sparked a strong reaction from Jenrick, the shadow justice secretary. The BBC stated that it had altered 'some of the language used' by Kandiah in the online version, deeming it unsuitable for the faith-oriented radio segment.
Nevertheless, Alf Dubs, a Labour peer who arrived in the UK as a child refugee, expressed his belief that xenophobia accurately characterized Jenrick’s comments made in the Mail on Sunday last weekend. Jenrick had stated that the arrival of asylum seekers on small boats raised concerns for his daughters’ safety and that he would not want them as neighbors.
During Wednesday’s episode of the Today programme, Kandiah referenced the Mail on Sunday, quoting Jenrick: 'I certainly don’t want my children to share a neighbourhood with men from backward countries who broke into Britain illegally, and about whom we know next to nothing.' These statements reflect a fear that many have internalized—a fear of the unknown, which is technically termed xenophobia.
Kandiah asserted that such fears are irrational, emphasizing that most individuals arriving on small boats are escaping 'war, persecution, and famine'.
He contended that there is no evidence to suggest that migrants pose a greater risk to children than others, pointing out that most offenses against children are committed by individuals they are already familiar with.
Although the segment was pre-approved, it is reported that BBC staff chose to reassess the program and modify the language independently, without any external complaints prompting the review. The corporation subsequently apologized to Jenrick.
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