A senior minister has said tougher rules are needed to prevent rising “small boats” crossings to the UK.
Michelle Donelan, the science innovation and technology secretary, said the UK needs “robust processes” in place as many people arriving illegally have travelled via safe countries.
It comes as the government is expected to publish its new draft laws to tackle the migrant Channel crossings crisis as soon as tomorrow.
Under new the proposals, families face detention and deportation if they enter the UK illegally. They will effectively bar any migrants who arrive through the Channel on small boats from claiming asylum in the UK.
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Once migrants are removed, they will have no right to return to the UK.
Speaking to Sky News this morning, Ms Donelan said that the number of small boats crossings was “staggering”.
“When you compare where they [the numbers] were a few years ago, they were in their hundreds, it’s important that the government does tackle this, it’s why the prime minister made it one of his top priorities – it’s why we already taking action. We’ve got that record agreement with the French government last year, that’s why we’re bringing forward legislation”, she added.
She said the “basic principle” of the legislation is that if you travel here “illegally then it’s not okay to stay”. “That’s the common sense approach”, she continued.
“Stop the boats” is one of the prime minister’s five priorities for government and new legislation has been expected for some time.
The legislation is aimed at making the crossing the British channel more difficult, with asylum seekers also set to be banned from applying for the right to stay in the UK for life.
Conservative MPs have been told they must be in the Commons on Tuesday, when the legislation is likely to be revealed by home secretary Suella Braverman.
Responding to the new crackdown this morning, Labour’s shadow health secretary Wes Streeting predicted that the new rules will never “see the light of day”.
Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Mr Streeting cast doubt on the view that such laws could make it through parliament. He said: “Well, I don’t think it is going to see the light of day. I don’t think it is going to get through parliament, I don’t think anyone in their right mind thinks it is sensible.
“What they want is just to be able to come on programmes like yours and say ‘oh, it’s these terrible lefty judges, these Labour lawyers, they have blocked us doing this’.
“Actually they need to get a grip on the speed of decision making, making sure there are safe schemes that people can use and going after the criminal gangs that are exploiting people”.
He accused the government of “headline-grabbing gimmicks” and not “trying to solve the actual problem”.
He added: “We’re slightly pulling our hair out because, like everyone else, we’re watching these small boats come across, it’s incredibly dangerous, it’s a completely unacceptable way for people to arrive”.
One of the concerns raised about the system at present is the lack of safe routes by which people can claim asylum in the UK.
Following criticism from human rights groups, Ms Donelan insisted this morning “that there are safe routes to get into this country”.
Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council, said plans to deny those crossing in small boats the ability to claim asylum would “shatter the UK’s long-standing commitment under the UN Convention to give people a fair hearing regardless of the path they have taken to reach our shores”.
Steve Valdez-Symonds, Amnesty International UK’s refugee and migrant rights director, said the government’s proposals “promise nothing but more demonisation and punishment of people fleeing conflict and persecution who dare to seek asylum in the UK by means to which government has chosen to restrict them”.
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