Stopping Albanians crossing the Channel will not solve the small-boats crisis because there is an “infinite” number of migrants from other countries hoping to reach Britain, ministers have conceded.
The scale of the problem has persuaded even those in government who were originally sceptical of the plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda that it is necessary to do something “big and bold” to make Britain “a less attractive destination”. One source said: “There are simply too many pull factors at the moment.”
Rishi Sunak has staked much of his political future on stopping the small boats, with legislation to be announced early this year effectively barring anyone crossing the Channel illegally from being allowed to stay in Britain.
Shortly before Christmas Sunak said that
