A Labour MP has launched an urgent appeal to the government, demanding they prevent the forced deportation of a BBC presenter to Afghanistan, where he faces "almost certain death" under Taliban rule.
Luke Pollard, MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport, has written directly to the Home Office expressing grave concerns for Steve Smith, a presenter for BBC Radio Devon's Afghan Service. Smith, who has worked with the BBC for seven years, has been threatened with removal from the UK after his asylum claim was rejected.
"Working for the BBC puts a target on your back"
In his impassioned letter, Pollard highlighted the extreme danger facing Smith due to his association with the British broadcaster. "Working for the BBC puts a target on your back with the Taliban," the MP stated, emphasising that Smith's high-profile role makes him particularly vulnerable to retaliation from the regime.
The situation has created what Pollard describes as a "perverse outcome" - while the British government condemns the Taliban's actions, another branch of the same government is attempting to send someone back to territory controlled by the very regime they criticise.
Mounting pressure on the Home Office
This case emerges amid growing scrutiny of the UK's immigration policies, particularly regarding returns to Afghanistan. Pollard isn't alone in his concern; Conservative MP for East Devon Simon Jupp has also raised the matter directly with Home Secretary James Cleverly.
The Home Office maintains its standard position, stating they do not routinely comment on individual cases. However, a spokesperson confirmed that all asylum claims are carefully considered against published policy.
A pattern of concern for Afghan nationals
This isn't the first time Pollard has intervened in such cases. He previously helped prevent the deportation of another Afghan BBC journalist in 2021, just days before the Taliban seized control of Kabul.
The MP argues that the government should establish a formal exemption process for those who have worked with British institutions, stating: "If you've worked for the British government, the British state, the BBC, then there should be a process to allow you to stay in Britain."
As the Home Office reviews Smith's case, his future remains uncertain, caught between government policy and the very real threat awaiting him in Afghanistan.
