The new government said they had the answer to illegal migration. They would smash the people smuggling gangs. 9 months on we have record levels of small boat arrivals.
They ditched the Rwanda scheme just as it was beginning to work. Ireland had started to complain they were getting too many migrants as new arrivals did not want to be transferred to Rwanda. Other European countries are now deciding they need an offshore centre to send people to as they seek to cut numbers.
Both the last government and this one have been giving large sums to France to enforce their laws against illegal and dangerous boat trips. We are told this has stopped about half the attempted crossings. As they usually let the illegals stay where they were to make another attempt on another day it does not deter. Belgium does a much better job stopping illegal crossings from their beaches.
So the UK government needs to tell France we are not going to carry on paying for such a poor result. With drones, cameras, tip offs and the rest more boats can be stopped. More police work across Europe could prevent the movement and storage of boats for illegal use.
It would also help if any migrants that were smuggled through were immediately sent somewhere else. Offering them free hotel accommodation and likely eventual permission to stay is a big draw. France, a safe country, does not make such an offer when these migrants cross the border into that country.
Time for the government to change policy to one which works, as they agree people should not come illegally, get a free hotel and send large bills to UK taxpayers.
April 1, 2025
That says it all.
April 1, 2025
Agreed – other than noting our Home Secretary’s control strategy is to wish for bad weather. Staggeringly useless.
April 1, 2025
JK,
Yes, but saying it does not change anything. They are not listening.
April 1, 2025
This government like the last has no intention of stopping the boats
If they were serious they would immediately withdraw the border force taxis and ban the RNLI vessels from operating
If any charity stepped in to rescue their assets would be destroyed.
2TK has spent his life defending crooks and terrorists so what makes you think he’s going to change.
Many in the uniparty support open borders and some even think immigration helps growth when in fact it makes per capita less
A whole industry has emerged from the immigration scam, much like the renewables scam
The common factor all being taxpayer funded. We are Importing a fifth column of aliens and the clowns in Westminster don’t give a monkeys.
April 1, 2025
Good morning.
There is, and has never been, any political will to resolve this issue. Germany and the EU long ago decided that other countries in Europe and the especially the EU should take their ‘fair share’ of illegals. This has, I believe, been agreed behind closed doors and, all the guff about tackling the gangs is nothing but an empty gesture designed to sound and look tough without ever actually do anything. This is because the gangs operate outside the UK Justice System and are therefore untouchable. The fact that we have a KC as PM who seems to not know this is I find incredulous. This also, deliberately in my view, seeks to remove the responsibility from those (illegal immigrants) that have created this problem.
The solution is simple and requires political will.
April 1, 2025
I disagree with ‘Germany’ replace with Merkel, who on her own threw open the doors for chaos and mass drownings.
April 2, 2025
Yes I also think they reached a secret agreement with the EU during the Brexit negotiations that “we’d take our fair share.”
For the sake of appearances, our Government pretends it wants to stop them and Macron pretends he is trying.
April 1, 2025
Apart from holding our law in contempt, the illegal migration across the Channel is a serious national security risk too. We do not know how many terrorists and dangerous people (past or future) are on board these boats.
I would have thought given over 150,000 illegal migrants have crossed so far we are entitled to declare a national emergency and deport them all back to their country of origin, wherever that is including Syria, Iran, Afghanistan etc. If they dont have identification, they should be held in a detention centre until their identity is discovered (they are free to be deported at any time).
Im not a lawyer but if existing laws prevent the above then they must be changed so they dont prevent it.
I guarantee once even a handful are deported back to their country of origin these illegal boat crossings will stop immediately and we will never be referring to this situation again.
April 2, 2025
This is a more serious national security threat than Ukraine.
This is not accidental.
Our own government should invoking national security and overide the ECHR any change other UK laws to overule these unelected and unaccountable judges.
The ACTIVIST political judges need to be curtailed and removed. As we will be shown how by the US.
April 1, 2025
Well we know that we need deterrents Starmer and Labour give them no deterrents and treats them rather better than UK tax payers. So more and more come and then report back home on how it is going!
April 1, 2025
So the Sentencing Council has caved to pressure and suspended plans for new guidelines which could have led to different sentences depending on age, sex and ethnicity, as Labour’s two tier Kier prepares to force through a law to overturn proposals.
The fact that they wanted this (and clearly still do) shows that people on this Council are totally unsuitable to make such decisions and all need to be fired. How could anyone want such blatant discrimination put into this guidance?
April 1, 2025
Tell France that their monitoring is unsatisfactory. Come on John! The French heartily dislike us and will do as little as possible to resolve this despite the money we have paid them. The only solution is to get tough. Border Force should sink a couple of inflatables; once the occupants have had a few mnnutes in the water, they should provide them with another boat – they have a load in store – and tell them to return to France and that the boat is tagged and will be sunk without rescue if it is seen in UK waters again. Meanwhile, all illegals arriving in our shores should be given two weeks to decide their fate: rest of their lives in very basic camps – not 5 star hotels, no phones or internet – or return to their homeland. Tough, but would stop the traffic in a month or less. Unfortunately, the government doesn’t have the guts to take decisive action but prefers to pay vast sums to Rwanda first a scheme that, despite mild deterrence, hasn’t a hope of working to any significant degree.
April 1, 2025
Western governments, including the UK, have been implementing UN Agenda 2030. That requires high levels of immigration (legal and illegal) in order to “spread the wealth around the countries where the migrants are coming from.” This short UN film explains the policy.
https://migrationnetwork.un.org/videos/migration-and-2030-agenda
I don’t think this Government, and more than the last one, really wants to STOP the invasion, although they would rather it was a bit slower. Basically, they have been implementing Agenda 2030 and then lost control.
All Two-Tier was doing yesterday was attempting to demonstrate to the voters ahead of the Local Elections (and Runcorn By-election) that Labour is “taking action” when the only action they have taken since entering No.10 is to grant permanent asylum to tens of thousands of economic migrants caught in the backlog who can’t be deported because the HR laws and UN conventions which they support block it.
April 1, 2025
The European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms doesn’t say anything as far as I can see to prevent the UK rejecting those coming by boat from France. Art 5 specifically provides for, “the lawful arrest or detention of a person to prevent his effecting an unauthorised entry into the country or of a person against whom action is being taken with a view to deportation or extradition.”
Prevention means doing this at the mid-way point in The Channel. UK is empowered to do so by the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). UNHCR says nothing to prevent it since its protections do not apply to those coming from a safe country.
The boats could be stopped by two simple actions. In safe weather they can legally be turned back. UNCLOS Art 33 gives the UK the right to enforce Art 5 of the ECHR and its domestic law in the Contiguous Zone out to 24nmiles (12 nm beyond its Territorial Limit) in The Channel by acting to prevent a breach. The boats should be turned back to France when the weather is safe. SInce many are escorted by the French, if there is any doubt about safety, the French escort can assure their safe return, or a British vessel can take them to the nearest port, which would be in France..
In unsafe weather the boat drivers can be arrested and charged under the Offences Against the Person Act 1861 with endangering human life at sea. Potentially they could also be charged with people trafficking or smuggling, conspiracy to commit a crime etc.. Sentencing guidelines should be amended to impose a minimum custodial sentence of 10 years. It really is very simple.
The only reason UK doesn’t do any of this is lack of political will in the Conservative Party, Labour and the Lib Dems.
April 1, 2025
We already know what is not working, we need solutions.
Leave the ECHR in part or in whole.
Cease giving legal aid, predatory lawyers will not work for free.
Set up a POW type camp under military control for all illegal entrants. No hotels, no telephones, no pocket money. Two options, chaingang work or to be returned to their country of origin. Accept genuine assylum claimants.
Once the message of what awaits them is realised, they will stop coming.
Then begin detaining the estimated 2m plus illegals floating free in the UK. Ultimately we need a biometric UK identity card run as a function of the security services and GCHQ. The Home Office and our tax collecting police force being totally unfit for such a purpose.
The above requires political will, not present in any of the political parties in Parliament bar one. If you want it dealt with, you can send a message in May and give a decision when the next GE is called.
April 1, 2025
Why do we need to leave the EHCR? Can’t we just ignore it as France does and as Cameron did. with votes for prisoners?
Reply Our courts do not ignore it
April 1, 2025
Honestly, I don’t think the establishment at large wants to stop them coming. It has now become a mini industry.
Serious measures were needed a long time ago and they didn’t happen.
It amazes me how quickly and efficiently we were all locked out of our own society over an illness, but heaven forbid the human rights of those wishing to just walk in are trodden on.
This government will get round the hotel bill by giving them all housing and then declaring the problem solved.
Likewise, make their status legal pretty pronto and that shows up on the books as fewer illegals, and again the drooling public will go back to sleep. Or will they, as it becomes apparent to more people that everything around them isn’t as it was before.
April 1, 2025
Keith thinks we’re part of the EU, so we accept the same level of illegals as they do. The rest is just play acting for the ‘uneducated English’. No change here.
Reports suggest negotiations underway to give authority over deployment of our armed forces to the EU; Keith is just trying to figure out how to sell it to us.
April 1, 2025
Time for the government to change policy to one which works, as they agree people should not come illegally, get a free hotel and send large bills to UK taxpayers.
It’s time for a government change that’s for sure before we fall into the biggest sink hole on the planet , but don’t worry when these foreign illegal invaders have mustered enough of a army in our country from the small boats and other illegal entry this country will finally go down the pan then watch the hand wringing liberal softies crying into there soggy cornflakes, this country as become a joke the next thing to happen will be the cancellation of November Remembrance Day in case it upsets a small minority
April 1, 2025
At last a little positive news from this rogue government — A Bill rushed through Parliament to repair the damage done by the Sentencing Council regarding 2 tier sentencing.
What I don’t understand is after failing us so badly why didn’t HMG put this quango out of business, or at least replace all current members?
I’m beginning to suspect some theatrical play entering in here, to make Starmer look good.
April 1, 2025
40 countries met yesterday to deter illegal immigrants. Did they agree to receive immigrants who leave their shores in boats back?
When all countries agree to the repatriation of illegals they have let in themselves to themselves then illegals will find it impossible to move between countries. That in one swoop will remove much of the draw.
The second part of the draw that needs to be removed is the possibility of asylum. No illegal arrival should be considered for asylum.
The third part of the draw to remove is payments once here. Soup kitchens and tented cities and no right to work. If all countries adopt these measures economic immigration will cease.
The UN Refugee convention needs to be rewritten, otherwise we should wihdraw.
April 1, 2025
Well its common knowledge that they’re not refugees but illegal economic migrants
April 1, 2025
We are going to smash the gangs – April Fool
April 1, 2025
In an unexpected move to address Scotland’s ongoing ferry crisis, the Scottish Government has announced plans to acquire the Royal Navy’s HMS Albion to operate on the Cambuslang to Clydebank route.
According to Angus McBoffin, the Scottish Government’s newly appointed Minister for Maritime and Creative Solutions, the vessel’s size and versatility make it a “perfect fit” for Scotland’s ferry network.
“We see HMS Albion as an ideal solution to address our current capacity challenges,” said McBoffin. “With her floodable dock and helicopter landing facilities, we can offer a seamless commute while providing passengers with the option to arrive at their destination by Chinook.”
Source; ukdefencejournal.org.uk
April 1, 2025
London has announced it’s temporary reintegration into the European Union as part of a ground-breaking security pact aimed at enhancing regional stability and security cooperation.
The decision, described by MoD officials as a pragmatic step forward, is expected to reshape the contours of UK-EU relations post-Brexit.
The agreement, effective from 1st April, will see the UK rejoin the EU for a period of six months, during which it will participate in a series of collaborative security initiatives and exercises.
Source; ukdefencejournal.org.uk
April 1, 2025
April fool?
April 1, 2025
In a surprising development ahead of the new financial year, a leaked consultation document circulating within the Ministry of Defence appears to confirm that the Royal Navy is planning to procure a third Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier — a bold response to mounting global tensions and a resurgent Russia.
Sources close to the Ministry stress that the new vessel, tentatively named HMS Princess Diana, will build upon the experience gained from the design, construction, and operational lessons learned from its predecessors, HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales.
Source; ukdefencejournal.org.uk
Reply Beware the date
April 1, 2025
Sorry , what is today?
From the article @ukdefencejournal.org.uk
Congratulations, and thank you for reading the whole article; this is just an April Fools Day joke. The article above is not true, and if anyone is sharing it after April 1st, please remind them of that fact.
April 1, 2025
Someone tell him its April fools day.
April 1, 2025
I admire your courage Mr. Redwood. Are you not worried about being arrested?
I am. So I say we should welcome everyone in the world who fancies coming here. We should provide free flights and medical treatment for everyone in the world. Why not? We can afford it. We are a ‘rich country’.
April 1, 2025
The Ministry of Defence has downplayed reports that several F-35B Lightning II jets are currently “unaccounted for” on the flight line at an RAF base.
The Ministry of Defence is reviewing the status of several F-35B Lightning II aircraft after routine checks at RAF Marham revealed that a number of jets were not immediately locatable. Officials stressed there is no indication of foul play and that the situation is “well understood given the nature of the platform.”
A defence official familiar with the matter explained: “These are fifth-generation stealth fighters. If anything, this proves they’re working perfectly.”
According to sources familiar with the matter, base personnel noticed discrepancies between expected and observed aircraft positions during a standard flight line inspection earlier this week. An internal review was launched shortly thereafter. Base personnel reportedly initiated a “focused visual reacquisition procedure,” which involved walking slowly around the apron, double-checking each parking bay, and asking colleagues to “have another look.”
Source; ukdefencejournal.org.uk
April 1, 2025
Why would this government do anything much different from the previous ones? They might have a good a chance of being voted in again, however dire and anti-British their policies.
April 1, 2025
The Government has responded to the small boats tragedies by donating larger ones to the French for distribution to the gangs.
April 1, 2025
Migrants going to Ireland isn’t a solution as they can legally move to the UK once they gain the right to remain. We should change the freedom of movement with Ireland so that it only applies if a grandparent was born in the country, like we do with Commonwealth countries.
April 1, 2025
Government is gormless.
There are so many effective actions that can be taken to remedy this matter rapidly, and thousands of people have made good suggestions over many years.
Keir Starmer goes through the motions of pretending he’s about to do something useful, but constantly dithers in darkness. Attendees at his recent multi-nation meeting on the subject are reported as saying ‘Meh’.
April 1, 2025
I hope no-one who didn’t vote Conservative where the Conservative had a chance to win will be joining in this complaint. This situation is one of many entirely foreseeable results of a Labour govt, where had the Conservatives been re-elected we would most likely now have a workable deterrent in operation.
April 1, 2025
Why? The Tories fielded some lady from Henley (or was it Oxford?) here I’d never heard of before. She told us nothing about her personal beliefs or national politics, just platitudes about local issues (fixing potholes). I might have taken some interest if she had been running as a local Councillor. However, it seemed I was simply being asked to just vote for a bland proxy for the Conservative Party, even though they had clearly lost their way and in the process my support….
In the event, the Lib Dems won here and they now have some 70 odd MPs in Westminster. Their leader was prancing about on a hobby horse in Henley yesterday, presumably whilst the idiots behind him sang “with rings on his fingers and bells on his toes, this Fool shall have music where ever he goes…”.
For all I know (or care) that Conservative candidate could have been banging her tambourine along with him….
April 1, 2025
I have to admit her candidature allowed me to follow my conscience and not vote Conservative.
Up until Sir John’s decision I was torn over loyalty to a proper Conservative within ranks of imposters, and teaching the upper echelons in the Party a thing or two.
April 2, 2025
My “Conservative” candidate was a LibCON who supported the Covid Tyranny and was obsessed with the Net Zero SCAM.
When he supported stripping British citizens of their Civil and Human Rights over a virus which the Government already knew was a Low Consequence Infectious Disease before the first lockdown, I told him he’d never get my vote again. I kept my word.
April 1, 2025
This government, like the last, has no intention of stopping mass legal and illegal immigration. Our only hope is that Trump is turning the tap off to the NGO’s and charities that fund this mass movement of people into Western countries. Nobody should believe that poor people have the means to pay people smugglers thousands of pounds to make the trip. A higher power orchestrates this.
April 1, 2025
It seems that neither of the above is the best governmental answer and has been for some years.
April 1, 2025
The rump of the Labour party in office think these people are worthy asylum seekers and need to be welcomed not deterred.
April 1, 2025
I think everyone in the UK knows that to attempt to force your way into another Country is a criminal act. Then to force your way in with no papers having been told to ditch all forms of ID is also a criminal act. I dare anyone in Parliament to try to enter another Country in the way these people have been encouraged to do.
In seeking UK Taxpayer funded benefits, accommodation when you have rights to it is fraud, stealing – therefore a criminal act.
As you suggest Belgium has no issue with stopping these criminals. Italy once they started turning the boats around the stopped coming. The suspicion is Macron is using these people as his weapon against the UK.
It was noted yesterday that 2TK came out in support of Human Rights Lawyers for them doing a good job. He also (to paraphrase) said the UK couldn’t leave the ECHR as it would upset his friend in the EU they needed to know the UK was still on board with the EU project.
April 1, 2025
‘Human Rights Laws’ that seeks to override the human rights of others should not be on anyone’s ‘statute’
April 1, 2025
Dream on. Sir Keir calls them Irregular Migrants which shows his true colours/lack of true commitment. Similarly his statement that we will never leave the ECHR says it all. He is a human rights lawyer first and a prime minister second. One thousand cross channel migrants in a single day soon, is my prediction.
April 1, 2025
Or is today’s comment an April fools’ joke?
April 1, 2025
The only real answer to this problem is to make the UK less hospitable towards illegal immigrants.
Put them in the cheapest shabbiest accommodation then when they complain offer to have them sent home or provide a rubber dingy so they can get back to France.
The last thing we should be doing is providing them with any luxury or any amount of money. We need to work on ways to persuade existing immigrants to go home, but certainly any that commit any crime should be automatically exported.
April 1, 2025
Fence off a portion of moorland, erect Nissen huts and feed them good porridge, but with nothing to do except notify the camp official where they can be returned.
Once going to the UK without invitation is seen to be a dead-end, the flow will stop.
To be fair, we should ask the French if we can open a bureau on their side for asylum applications. The charities can be notified of the applicants and invited to sponsor them (for life) if they feel they are worthy. No need to charge it to the tax payer.
April 1, 2025
+1
April 1, 2025
The time for action was some years ago, but succesive governments handed out platitudes while doing nothing to end this criminality.
Why would France try to stop the crossings, every succesful journey removes the problem from France and hands it to England. And we’re paying them for the privilege, madness.
April 1, 2025
It is difficult to think of a more hopeless system of deterring illegal migrants than that adopted by the UK with accommodation, phones, clothing and cash supplied on arrival courtesy of the British taxpayer and a legal system predicated entirely on the “rights” of the migrant and with free legal aid. Add in a hopelessly inefficient bureaucracy,
What remains hidden is the extent to which these migrants get shifted into the benefits system and compete with British citizens for scarce resources. This is especially true for the now coming to light scandal of the equally numerous visa overstayers, a more comfortable way to enter the UK than rubber boats.
April 1, 2025
Make no mistake, there is simply no intention of curbing mass immigration, legal or illegal because it is causing further impoverishment of the UK in addition to Net Zero. This is why the illegal migration of young men of fighting age is even encouraged with free accommodation, healthcare, mobile ‘phones, entertainment, weekly cash payments and the freedom to roam our streets taking black market jobs if wanted.
Socialism depends upon people remaining poor. In addition impoverishment aids their Net Zero goals by reducing consumption, particularly when they can reduce the work ethic and encourage those cultures where half the population is destined to be invisible by being economically, educationally, socially and politically inactive.
April 1, 2025
Why have Governments/MPs allowed the UK tax payers to be taken for a ride for so long
April 1, 2025
+1 Absolutely!
April 1, 2025
Dear Mr. Redwood,
I doubt the French will be bothered one iota if we tell them we are not going to carry on paying for such a poor result. With a gallic shrug of their shoulders, they are likely to just say ‘bien’.
Their police officers will be delighted! No more wading around in freezing cold waters or chasing migrants across the sand dunes. They will just let them go on their way to the land of plenty – as sometimes they do now.
Their politicians will be equally pleased to see even more migrants depart their shores.
The Home Office says ‘the people-smuggling gangs do not care if the vulnerable people they exploit live or die, as long as they pay. We will stop at nothing to dismantle their business models and bring them to justice.”
Stop at nothing! Except the only thing that would have any effect.
April 1, 2025
The illegal migrant situation reflects the weakness of UK governments over the last ten years. The Conservatives promised to reduce immigration in their 2010, 2015, 2017, and 2019 manifestos but did absolutely nothing about it. As the 2024 GE proved, rebuilding trust with voters about immigration will be hard work.
Labour is even worse as they have no intention of doing anything except talking about it. The PM is going to have a red face when he is forced to introduce a Rwanda-type scheme to discourage illegal immigrants, which he will have to do to have any chance at the next GE. Labour is a shambles in every area except one! That is the area of killing growth in the UK economy. At that, they are experts!!!
April 1, 2025
The clear an obvious fix is simply to return the incoming back to where they set off from. We know exactly which beach inn northern France they embarked from. If they were sent back there immediately, the trade in small boat crossing would cease immediately.
The only people not allowing that simple fix is France.
If you are looking for who is behind the ongoing small boat crossings then look no further than those who are determined to see it continue. Why are they doing this? Because they want to get rid of unwanted temporary residents.
The reason for the ongoing small boat problem is France.
April 1, 2025
Liz Truss has said the rape gangs crime continues unabated.
The whole world is in shock at what the British have done to their children.
We will be a pariah, and deserve it.
April 1, 2025
Rwanda beginning to work? Forgive me, the Tory government gets only negatives from me on this.
How many years and how many people were sent to Rwanda, precisely.
Not to mention your policy of almost unlimited ‘legal’ immigration to grow the economy, limited effort to find and deport ‘illegals’ and we now read that a substantial percentage of visa visitors ‘disappear’/overstay. Surprise. Surprise.
April 1, 2025
I understand that this governments intent is to ‘smash the gangs’ by rejoining the European Court of Justice (ECJ)
April 1, 2025
As an alternative to expensive flights to Rwanda, a disincentive to coming to Britain would be accommodation in a tent in a large camp on Salisbury Plain with barbed wire perimeter and observation towers with machine guns. Food to be supplied as porridge and bacon sandwiches. No free mobiles or driving lessons. The army has large grounds there which are little used. I stayed in one once with rain running through my trousers. I would prefer Calais.
April 1, 2025
Remove the UK from the European Convention on Human Rights and repeal the Human Rights Act in toto. Introduce a law establishing that Parliament is the sole arbiter of who has the right to live here with the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration or any other attempt to overturn parliamentary sovereignty being inapplicable in the country. Treat every foreigner who is here without permission is a criminal and move to incarcerate them to be followed by either voluntary or compulsory removal. Not having a passport should be treated as an aggravating factor. Do not vote for any politician like Theresa May who put the interests of alien invaders above those of the British people by approving of the UN Compact.
April 1, 2025
The Prime Minister told Sky News: “The likelihood is there will be tariffs. Nobody welcomes that.
“We are obviously working with the sectors most impacted at pace on that.
“Nobody wants to see a trade war but I have to act in the national interests.”
If there was some truth or meaning to his out-burst, he needs to ask himself why is he already attacking the USA with tariffs and barriers. Already imposing a 400% increase on US imports than the US imposes on the UK – is the UK starting a Trade War – not the other-way around as he is pretending to the media. That is 2TK working against UK with the UK’s largest individual trade partner.
Just think the USA is the UK’s largest individual Nation it trades with, that’s without a trade agreement, with out control of UK Laws and regulations. What would happen if we just mutually and reciprocally just got on with one and other?
2TK is anti UK and wants its destruction at any cost
April 1, 2025
I have it on good authority that the “guests” at one asylum hotel are going into a local supermarket, taking whatever they want off the shelves and leaving without making any attempt to pay.
The supermarket then makes up a bill and sends it to the hotel. Payment is then rendered to the shop, presumably this is then billed to the Home Office. Is this going on across the country ? If it is, how much is it costing taxpayers?
April 1, 2025
Afraid Reform is only the one Party wants to stop illegal immigration, all the others just pretend and grandstand at great cost.
The solution is simple, no Benefits of any kind for a period of 5 years for anyone who enters the UK, legally or illegally, you cannot take out from the system, until you pay in and contribute should be the rule..
Those who come for jobs can be sponsored by their employer until they have the requisite number of years contributions with Tax and Insurance.
Stop the taxi service from France by meeting them mid Channel.
Why are France escorting these people to our waters if they are being paid by us to stop them ?
Those who arrive illegally or are intercepted, to be returned/turned around immediately (or within 24 hours).
The Mayor of Calais is fed up with it, for years he has said to us stop the pull factor.
The gangs that organise all these crossings are simply operating to a need, they are not forcing people to travel across the channel, people are searching them out.
Of course we need to prosecute the gangs, but we need to stop the pull factor and demand first.
Rwanda was a typical complicated and expensive political idea, you need simple and cheap deterrents that work and are seen to work immediately.
April 1, 2025
<i."The new government said they had the answer to illegal migration" – and they really do. It is the same answer as the useless, rotten government they replaced: let them come, the more the merrier, an open door immigration policy, but accompanied from time to time by hand-wringing and Patel-like statements about being “absolutely determined” to stop the arrivals.
April 1, 2025
This raises the question: ‘Why are we not paying France to copy the Belgian techniques’?
April 1, 2025
China wargaming around Taiwan today with 19 warships & 50 aircraft
How’s China invasion of Taiwan going to effect migration, imported steel & manufactured goods and net-zero products ie EV car, solar panels and wind-turbines
What happens if we impose a trade embargo like with Russia ?
April 1, 2025
Taking away the draw of migrants being giving a long list of goodies, plus pocket money would make a difference. No customers, no people gangs.
If a lorry driver who unexpectedly finds a migrant hidden in his van, reports it to the police and then is fined, £10,000, why aren’t the RNLI and others who ferry the people in, not also fined? Simply return them to France from whence they came.
April 1, 2025
No joke….
The UK’s official statistics agency, whose information is at the heart of decisions affecting millions of people, is under review following criticisms about its data. The government has asked a former top civil servant to conduct an independent investigation into the effectiveness of the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
The Bank of England has previously criticised the statistics agency for the reliability of its its job market data, which the bank looks at to decide whether to raise or cut interest rates.
The ONS has accepted its economic data has some issues and said it looks forward to engaging with the review.
You would think the OBR needs an independent investigation rather more urgently?