If that was really the Government’s objective, it could be achieved relatively easily by providing safe routes for asylum seekers.
There are currently no safe and legal routes for refugees to apply for asylum in the UK (apart from Ukraine, Hong Kong and Afghanistan, and of those the latter is limited).
As long as refugees can’t apply for asylum without setting foot on British soil, the boats will keep on coming.
Dines goes on to say that ‘the only way to come to the UK for asylum should be through safe and legal routes and as illegal migration is prevented and tackled, this will enable us to create more of these legitimate routes…’
So she agrees with me, if only in principle.
If the Government really wanted to stop the boats, it would create the safe routes now.
I feel the pressure from illegal migration of which she writes is largely down to government ineptitude in processing claims.
128,000 refugees have been waiting for more than six months to have their applications processed.
In that time, they cannot work and are put up in hotels at the state’s expense – that is what is creating the pressure.
Unsurprisingly she doesn’t draw your attention to that failure from the Government.
As usual with the Tories, it’s all smoke and mirrors.

And another point: there is no such thing as ‘illegal’ immigration.
Migrants are only here illegally once their asylum application has been rejected.
I believe that the Government knows this but it doesn’t stop it using these words constantly in the hope of attracting Tory votes ahead of the next General Election.

David Howarth

Matlock

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper.

Thank you