Today the Home Secretary announced in the House of Commons that the Government are bringing in new laws to stop small boat crossings over the English Channel.
The plan laid out today will ensure that those who arrive illegally on small boats cannot claim asylum in this country, while being fair to those who arrive by legitimate means.
The new law sends a clear signal that if you enter this country illegally then you will be deported to Rwanda or other safe third countries. The Bill will empower border force to take on the criminal gangs who exploit the vulnerable and allow the Government the freedom to navigate the activist lawyers who frustrate the system.
Addressing the illegal migration crisis is important to the Prime Minister and is one of the five priorities he laid out at the start of the year.
The UK has a proud history of welcoming those most in need, with thousands opening their homes or offering help to people fleeing Ukraine or Hong Kong in the last year, but those arriving on small boats are not directly fleeing a war-torn country or facing an imminent threat to life.
Commenting, Mark Fletcher MP said:
“Illegal migration is a big issue for my constituents. It is deeply concerning to see Britain’s fairness abused in this way. This is a complex issue that needs to be tackled head on and I am glad that the Prime Minister sees this as a priority.”
In the questions to the Home Secretary following the statement Mark Fletcher Member of Parliament for Bolsover said:
“I warmly welcome the Home Secretary’s statement and intent today;
“We’ve had a policy of housing illegal migrants and asylum seeker in hotels up and down the country, it has caused massive community tensions and strains on public services. So can she confirm when this will end, and also, how much it will be saving the British taxpayer.”
The Home Secretary replied:
“We are spending three billion pounds a year on supporting the asylum backlog. We are spending six million pounds a day on hotel accommodation, that is valuable taxpayer’s money which shouldn’t be diverted to those purposes.
“We need to stop the boats, bear down on the backlog, and save the British taxpayer valuable money.”
