In the Channel crisis, a minister acknowledged that the government had not been able to “stop the boats,” but if the Tories are re-elected, they will.
Michael Tomlinson, the minister of illegal immigration, made the candid admission in an attempt by his party to refocus attention on immigration rather than the election date betting issue.
During his Times Radio speech, the Prime Minister faced criticism for not having “stopped the boats,” one of his five main promises, along with Rishi Sunak and the Government. “That is right,” Mr Tomlinson stated. “We have not.”
Even if more asylum seekers and economic migrants have endangered their lives this year than in the same periods of 2022 and 2023 to cross the Channel in unseaworthy inflatable boats, he asserted that “we have made progress.”
“There is a plan and there is a deterrent effect,” Mr. Tomlinson continued.
He contended that the proposal to deport individuals who arrive in Britain in “small boats” to Rwanda would serve as a disincentive. “If we vote for the Conservative Party on July 4, the planes are booked, the airstrip is ready, and the planes will take off and that is when the full deterrent effect will kick in,” he added.
The party of Sir Keir Starmer has promised to scrap the Rwanda plan. Mr. Tomlinson’s remarks coincided with the fact that 12,901 migrants had entered the UK over the English Channel in the first half of the year, setting a new record.
Since Mr. Sunak declared his intention to “stop the boats” when he was elected prime minister in October 2022, the number of crossings has quickly approached 50,000.
During a live radio debate on immigration with LBC Radio listeners, Home Secretary James Cleverly and Labour’s shadow home secretary, Yvette Cooper, both argued they are the most qualified to lead the Home Office.
Mr. Cleverly maintained that the Conservative Party “is committed to bringing down levels of immigration which have been too high” and that he had “already taken action” in response to questions from radio host Nick Ferrari on why each could be trusted to oversee the department.
