Thanks to Brexit, we have already taken steps to control migration. We have a new “points-based” immigration system for legal migration, allowing those with the skills to positively contribute to our communities to come in search of a better life here in the UK. However, there is still a very long way to go before we get to grips with our broken asylum system giving way to thousands of illegal economic migrants making their way onto our shores every year.
I want to make clear that those fleeing persecution and war will always be welcomed to make the UK their home and haven. We have helped people come to the UK directly from war-torn countries as seen with Syria, Afghanistan and now Ukraine. I am so proud of how many Ashfield folk have stepped up and generously opened their homes to Ukrainian women and children in desperate need of a safe home.
However, there is a clear difference between these vulnerable people and the typically young men attempting the dangerous Channel crossing and entering our country illegally. Every single illegal economic migrant that stays here in the UK not only costs the British taxpayer their hard-earned money, but they also skip the queue ahead of genuine refugees who really do need to make a new life here in the UK.
We simply cannot continue to turn a blind eye to these dangerous crossings that are costing people their lives. The illegal immigrants are 95% young men fleeing France where there is no war and have left their women and children behind in their original country. They then pay £5,000 to come over fuelling the people trafficker’s trade.
I welcome the Government’s plan for offshore processing in Rwanda. It sends a clear message to human traffickers: those who enter our country illegally will be sent 5,000 miles away, therefore collapsing their disgusting business model.
Of course, the Labour Party or the ‘pro-open borders Party’ criticise these plans but it is not a new idea. In fact, we should issue a big thank you to Tony Blair for giving us this great idea back in 2004 when he said he wanted an asylum-seeker camp in Africa.
Furthermore, the UN and the EU both already settle refugees in Rwanda, and we have seen the success of the model over in Australia. The message has clearly gone out that it is pointless attempting to enter Australia illegally because you simply will not be able to stay.
We must follow Australia’s example and get to grips with our broken asylum system because as it stands, the situation is only getting worse. This year the figure of Channel Crossings could reach close to 50,000. This is quite frankly unsustainable, and we cannot continue to allow the British taxpayer to pay for tens of thousands of people in hotels. The Australian system this emulates has worked despite what the naysayers tell you. Australia went from over 20,000 illegal entries, to a few hundred the year after to zero the year after that which is why I support this system.
