More than 50 Conservative MPs have signed a letter to UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak demanding emergency legislation be introduced to amend modern slavery laws which they say are being abused by illegal immigrants crossing the English Channel in small boats.
The English Channel crossings are a “Gordian Knot that needs cutting with a simple policy,” according to the letter, which was organised by former Brexit secretary David Davis.
Under the National Referral Mechanism (NRM), people who claim to have been the victims of trafficking or modern slavery can’t be deported until their claim has been investigated.
The letter sent by Tory MPs demands that “economic migrants” travelling from countries such as Albania, where there is no conflict or persecution, are returned immediately.
Among those who have signed the letter are former Cabinet ministers Liam Fox and Esther McVey, Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of the 1922 Committee, and veteran backbencher Sir Peter Bottomley.
Sunak was urged by the signatories to implement a simple change in the law which they believe would make it easier for “bogus asylum seekers” to be returned, even if they claim to be victims of trafficking.
“We have failed to control our borders, yes,” Home Secretary Suella Braverman told the committee. “That’s why the prime minister and myself are absolutely determined to fix this problem.”
The signatories of the letter say “people claiming they have been unwilling victims of human trafficking or modern slavery” should be sent back to their home countries.
Letter Blames ‘Quirks’ in Modern Slavery Law
“The quirks in our modern slavery laws that prevent this are clearly in defiance of the aims of that law and should be removed,” the letter states.Braverman’s predecessor, Priti Patel, signed a deal with Rwanda this year that would have meant illegal immigrants who crossed the English Channel would be sent to the east African country while their claims were processed.
While it was meant as a deterrent to stop the flow of migrants, the policy is currently suspended while awaiting legal rulings.
But the letter writers say a “straightforward and legally workable way of addressing the crisis” would be a “very strong deterrent.”
A government spokeswoman told PA: “We have made clear that there is no one single solution to stop the increase in dangerous crossings. We have also made clear that we will continue to use every tool at our disposal to deter illegal migration.
“We are expediting the removal of individuals by agreeing tailored bilateral returns agreements with partners like Albania, elevating it to a key priority for our foreign policy,” she added.
Anglo–French Deal Ramped Up Patrols
On Nov. 14, Braverman signed a deal with France’s interior minister Gérald Darmanin that raised the UK’s payment to France to £63 million ($74 million) from £55 million ($64.5 million) per year.The extra investment from the British government is to be spent on “cutting-edge surveillance technology, drones, detection dog teams, CCTV, and helicopters.”
The flood of illegal immigrants has abated only recently, partly because of poor conditions at sea.
At the worst point in the crisis, the Manston migrant processing centre in Kent housed 4,000 illegal immigrants, which is twice its capacity.
But last week, it was announced that Manston had been emptied, with all the migrants there transferred to hotels around the country.
Braverman deflected blame for the crisis last week.
“I tell you who’s at fault. It’s very clear who’s at fault,“ she told the Home Affairs Committee. ”It’s the people who are breaking our rules, coming here illegally, exploiting vulnerable people, and trying to reduce the generosity of the British people. That’s who’s at fault.”
