Record 400 migrants cross the Channel in one day
Immigration minister says almost 1,000 incomers will be returned to EU states where they sought asylum
A RECORD 409 illegal migrants reached the UK yesterday after crossing the Channel in small boats, as ministers ramped up plans to deport nearly 1,000 back to Europe.
The migrants, including toddlers, were picked up from 27 boats by Border Force and RNLI lifeboats, as calm seas led to a surge in attempted crossings that surpassed the previous record of around 300 in a day. At least a further 100 were stopped before boarding boats in France.
It followed Tuesday’s total of 145 migrants who reached the UK in 18 boats and a record monthly total of nearly 1,500 who crossed in August.
Chris Philp, the immigration minister, revealed that the Home Office was planning to deport back to EU countries nearly 1,000 Channel migrants.
He told MPS the migrants – from Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Kuwait and Syria – had previously claimed asylum in EU countries and “under regulations should be returned there”.
Mr Philp said ministers would not be deflected by legal challenges despite a setback on Friday when lawyers used human rights laws to block a flight to Spain of 23 Channel migrants. He promised there would be a “large number” of flights to come.
Earlier, Boris Johnson pledged to rewrite “rigid” EU regulations postbrexit that were turning Britain into a “target and magnet” for migrants.
MORE than 400 illegal migrants crossed the Channel to reach Britain yesterday, setting a new record, as ministers disclosed nearly 1,000 have been identified for deportation.
Yesterday’s total of 409 is 100 more than the previous record as around 27 boats, some carrying children and infants, reached UK territorial waters despite the French preventing a further 100 leaving their beaches. It followed 145 migrants who reached the UK in 18 boats on Tuesday.
The surge, following a record monthly total of 1,500 in August, came as Chris Philp, the immigration minister, revealed that the Home Office was planning to deport back to EU countries nearly 1,000 Channel migrants. He told MPS that the arrivals, largely from Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Kuwait and Syria, had been identified as having previously claimed asylum in EU countries and “under regulations should be returned there”.
Mr Philp said there would be “a large number of flights in coming weeks and months” to remove migrants from the UK despite an aborted attempt last Friday which saw a charter flight to Spain with 23 on board halted by last-minute legal appeals on human rights grounds. The minister claimed in the Commons that the legal action had been “intentionally logged at the last minute” in order to give the Home Office no option but to pull the flight. But he said the Government would not be deterred.
Earlier, Boris Johnson pledged to rewrite regulations on removing migrants from the UK post-brexit to ensure Britain was no longer a “target and a magnet for those who would exploit vulnerable people in this way”.
He told MPS: “I have a great deal of sympathy with those who are so desperate as to put their children in dinghies or even children’s paddling pools and try to cross the Channel. But I have to say what they’re doing is falling prey to criminal gangs and they are breaking the law. They’re also undermining the legitimate claims of others who would seek asylum in this country.”
Priti Patel, the Home Secretary, is working on a “fair borders bill” to be introduced this year, which would stop people drawing out the asylum applications process by making them declare all their grounds for refugee status when they apply, rather than being able to submit new reasons later.
Ms Patel also met former Australian premier Tony Abbott yesterday, and they discussed how Britain could solve its Channel migrant crisis. Mr Abbott introduced Australia’s controversial “push back” policy where boats carrying migrants were blocked from entering the country’s waters. It was branded illegal by UN human rights experts although it successfully reduced numbers from 5,000 a year to virtually none.
A UK government source said:
“There are lots of lessons to be learnt from what Australia did.”
The Home Office did not confirm the numbers yesterday, but sources suggested it was a new record after a day of sunshine and calm seas.
At least 100 people were brought into Dover in the morning, aboard Border Force patrol vessels and on lifeboats. There were also multiple reports of people landing on beaches in Kent. Several empty dinghies with outboard motors were seen being towed into the port throughout the morning.
Analysis of Home Office figures being published today will show that since 2015, the number of undocumented migrants leaving Britain voluntarily quarterly fell from about 4,000 to fewer than 2,000 at the end of last year. At the same time, the number of “controlled returns” supervised by the Home Office fell from about 3,000 to less than 1,000 according to the Institute for Public Policy Research seen by The Times.
The think tank cited ‘“systemic flaws” with the hostile environment strategy spearheaded by Theresa May during her time as home secretary.
‘There are lots of lessons to be learnt from what Australia did’