UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has vowed to put an end to illegal immigration as his government prepares to unveil new legislation banning Channel crossings by those seeking asylum.
Sunak, who has made “stopping the boats” one of his five priorities, told the Mail On Sunday that he’s “determined to deliver” on his promise.
The new legislation is a step toward fulfilling his pledge to “stop the boats once and for all.” Sunak said.
“Illegal migration is not fair on British taxpayers, it is not fair on those who come here legally, and it is not right that criminal gangs should be allowed to continue their immoral trade,” he told the paper.
Asylum Ban
The government is expected to publish long-promised legislation this week that will make asylum claims inadmissible from those who travel to the UK illegally on small boats.The legislation would task the Home Office to remove “as soon as reasonably practicable” anyone who arrives on a small boat, either to Rwanda or another “safe third country.”
Arrivals also will be prevented from claiming asylum while in the UK, with plans also to ban them from returning once removed.
“Enough is enough. The British people want this solved,“ Home Secretary Suella Braverman told The Sun On Sunday. ”They are sick of tough talk and inadequate action. We must stop the boats. That’s why myself and the prime minister have been working flat out to bring forward necessary and effective laws which will tackle this problem, once and for all.
‘Half-Baked Plan’
Opposition parties have criticised the planned legislation as a publicity stunt.Jonathan Ashworth, Labour’s shadow work and pensions secretary, told Sky News that his party would “study” the legislation carefully to see if it addresses the current issues, including processing backlogs.
“The broad principle is that refugees who arrive in this country, we have always welcomed them.“ he said, when pressed on whether his party supports the “broad principle” behind the legislation. ”People whose asylum applications have been turned down, then, of course, they should be returned; that is a principle that we have always accepted.
“The problem is, of course, that the Conservatives will come out here and they will get headlines and they will say they are going to do this, that, and the other, but they never deliver, do they?”
The Liberal Democrats called it “another half-baked plan.”
Rwanda Plan
Over the past year, British politicians have made a series of attempts to tackle illegal immigration by way of the Channel.In April 2022, then-Home Secretary Priti Patel signed a “world-first” agreement with Rwanda, under which people who have arrived in the UK illegally would be sent to the East African country on a one-way ticket for processing and potential settlement.
But her first attempt to relocate people to Rwanda was frustrated by the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, which issued a last-minute injunction to ground the flight.
The Rwanda scheme has been mired in legal challenges, and so far, no flights carrying illegal immigrants to Rwanda have departed.
However, Braverman remains committed to the plan.
In a victory for the government, the High Court in London ruled on Dec. 19 in favour of the Rwanda plan, saying it was “lawful.”
“Our ground-breaking migration partnership with Rwanda will provide individuals relocated with support to build new lives there, while disrupting the business model of people-smuggling gangs putting lives at risk through dangerous and illegal small boat crossings,” Braverman said in welcoming the verdict.
However, the opposition Labour Party has said it would drop the Rwanda policy if it wins the next general election.
“The Rwanda scheme is a damaging distraction from the urgent action the government should be taking to go after the criminal gangs and sort out the asylum system,“ shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said about the High Court ruling. ”It is unworkable, unethical, extortionately expensive.”
