Former EU Brexit negotiator Michael Barnier announced this week that he thinks France should ‘possibly’ suspend immigration from outside the EU for the next five years. As columnist Stephen Glover wrote in the Daily Mail, this seems to suggest that the UK’s desire to reclaim border sovereignty may not have been so xenophobic and small minded after all. Glover goes on to say that a serious reduction in immigration is vital if we are to avoid a similar escalation in tensions on this side of the Channel. As he notes, we at Migration Watch UK have been consistently warning that it is essential to control and reduce the number of people coming here for the the sake of the future stability and cohesion of our society. The last thing we want is for the growing tensions in France to be repeated here.
Blog of the week
The government’s proposed asylum reforms featured prominently in the Queen’s Speech; you can read our take on these proposals here. The Home Secretary’s plans to tighten up enforcement and be tougher on illegal immigration, asylum abuse and people-smugglers are welcome but, she will have a battle on her hands to get the necessary legislation through Parliament without it being watered down. All we can hope is that the government holds firm and delivers the tough regime needed to restore credibility to the fractured immigration and asylum system.
Migration Watch in the media
Our Chairman Alp Mehmet was quoted in the media this week:
‘Until it’s made beyond doubt that such arrivals will not be granted asylum, numbers will go on increasing. That’s as clear as day.’
You can keep up to date with Channel crossings through our tracking station here.
See blow for more responses to this week’s news:
‘The risk is that the the government’s good intentions are stymied by the influential advocates of mass immigration in parliament and their powerful immigration industry supporters.’
FT: UK immigration plans risk breaching international duties, UN body warns
‘If the UN is questioning the UK’s right to control its own borders, it really has lost touch with reality. This country has taken in more refugees via UN backed schemes than any other European state.’
Make your voice heard
A quick reminder once again to write to your local MP about the government’s post-Brexit immigration plans. As we say every week, despite the government’s claims and tough talk, there has been a weakening of key controls that will very likely increase immigration rather than reduce it. That is what, no cap on work permits, no demand that companies prioritise UK workers and lower skills and educational thresholds for new migrant workers all means. A failure to control immigration is an affront to democracy. We must keep telling our politicians and government. Please do write to your local MP here.