Shamima Begum is our problem – the government cannot just wish her away

A hardline on crime is how Boris Johnson’s government is set up, but should that not mean making people face the consequences of their actions, asks Chris Stevenson

Shamima Begum speaking to Good Morning Britain from Syria (GMB/ITV/PA)

So Shamima Begum has asked the UK public for forgiveness. The London schoolgirl who ran away to join Isis aged 15 has said that she is sorry “from the bottom of my heart”.

Speaking during an interview on Good Morning Britain, the now 22-year old said that she wished to return and would face court and that she would “rather die than go back to IS [Isis]”.

Currently in the Kurdish-controlled Roj camp in Syria, Begum had her British citizenship revoked in 2019. She is accused of having engaged in terrorist acts while being involved with Isis, something she refutes. Sajid Javid, who was home secretary when the decision was made, has said that while the decision was not a simple one it was “absolutely the right decision to protect the British people”. This was based on “the advice of my department but also our intelligence agencies”.