What next for our borders – honesty boxes for terrorists?
I don’t know whether to laugh or cry that hundreds of clerical workers are being drafted in to solve the crisis at our airport border posts with barely any training – although they are getting quite pleasing bonuses.
What next, an ‘honesty box’ with a sign asking those who are coming into Britain illegally to turn around and get back on the plane? Or how about politely requesting that terrorists leave all bomb-making paraphernalia in the receptacle provided?
Whichever way you look at it, the only people smiling at the moment are those seeking to get into this country illegally, or people smuggling in drugs. The pressures on barely trained staff will compromise our national security, and to pretend otherwise is madness.
People will get through almost irrespective of who they are or what they are carrying, because the four-hour queues forming behind them will not allow time for a thorough inspection of luggage or paperwork. All the management want is to see rapid movement through the gates.
Philip Codd, Manchester Some of the best people to help make up the numbers on immigration desks would be ex-servicemen and women. They are disciplined, they have served our country and, as the Government is making so many members of our Armed Forces redundant, they are a ready-made workforce. There are many servicemen and women who have been injured and left disabled and so unable to get jobs. I am sure they would be an asset.
Mrs Rita Moule, Bournemouth If these temporary staff for immigration desks can be spared from their normal Civil Service jobs, then perhaps they are not really needed in their usual roles.
Carol Taylor, Plymouth The root of the problem is that the calibre of person attracted to the role of MP and then Minister places no value on UK citizenship, nor on the UK in general.
George Brown, Hornchurch, Essex Filing clerks guarding our borders? Sounds like Dad’s Army.
Roge Hampton, Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico It is surely not beyond the wisdom of managers to devise a system whereby the majority of Britons returning from their holiday in the sun can be processed by these new recruits and the passengers on flights from riskier destinations can be diverted to the more experienced members of the team.
Ian Brameld, Bushey, Hertfordshire