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Speaking at a conference in Rome last weekend, alongside Italian PM Giorgia Melonia, Rishi Sunak noted the importance of tackling illegal immigration. Really Prime Minister? He repeated the usual platitudes: it is not for criminal gangs to decide who comes to Britain; countries must control their borders; illegal immigrants should not be allowed to stay (just as in Britain, Prime Minister?)
The speech was rewarded with polite applause.
The Prime Minister did, however, go on to say something of greater interest.
“[If this] requires us to update our laws and lead an international conversation to amend post-war frameworks around asylum then we must do that.”
Heaven preserve us from international conversations, especially if they are under the auspices of the United Nations, as this one will very likely be.
But we mustn’t be churlish. We can’t immediately recall other British Prime Ministers ever calling into question the suitability for today’s circumstances of (by implication) the Refugee Convention and the European Convention of Human Rights. So, well done Mr Sunak. But might we also respectfully suggest that the conversation in the UK could begin with a close look at our Human Rights Act 1998, a millstone placed around the UK’s neck by none other than Sir Tony Blair?
Indeed, it is the progressive interpretation and faithful implementation of rules underpinned by conventions designed for a very different era and needs which have laid the foundations of the refugee crisis now engulfing Europe and North America.
However, as we have already said, it was all nod and wink, nudge, nudge stuff. The Prime Minister did not refer to specific conventions. Although, his audience understood perfectly well what he meant by the ‘post-war framework’. Still, he didn’t spell out what exactly he was referring to, he was clear that Britain would lead a conversation on it. Given that Downing Street hasn’t released a transcript of his remarks or uploaded a recording of the speech (see here for a sketchy version from Sky News), we are left wondering if he really meant whatever it was that he was referring to. Indeed, in the only public press release from his trip to Rome, there is no mention of the ‘conversation’.
The Prime Minister does not seem to understand that the public are utterly fed up with vague pronouncements. Where’s the beef, Prime Minister? What about some action? Enough of platitudes, already!
This is a preview of Migration Watch’s free weekly newsletter. You can read the full version here.
Please consider signing up to the newsletter directly, you can do so here and will receive an email copy of the newsletter every Friday as soon as it is released.