Labour shows no “huge commitment” to tackling illegal migration ━ The European Conservative

While Labour’s plans to ban small boats from crossing the Channel will not go down well with migration analysts, they will be music to the ears of those who profit from illegal migration.

Yvette Cooper, the head of the Home Office, which has begun labelling illegal migration not as such, but as “irregular” instead – has pledged to deport more than 14,500 people over the next six months. This would be a higher rate than at any time since 2018 (itself a pretty sad indictment of recent Conservative Party governments).

In response, Migration Watch President Alp Mehmet dismissed Cooper’s announcement as “nothing more than setting a target to better implement her predecessor’s plan.” He told The European Conservative:

Adding a few extra beds to existing detention camps and hiring a hundred more staff does not show great dedication. The criminal gangs will be laughing their heads off as their bank balances swell.

Home Secretary Cooper will also recruit 100 new “specialist intelligence and investigation officers” to tackle people-smuggling gangs. These officers will be based at the National Crime Agency, which believes the most important thing is to deter the migrants themselves. At the moment, for every gang “crushed”, another will quickly take its place – such is the lucrative business of border crossings.

According to official figures, more than 5,000 migrants have crossed the Channel since Labour came to power on 4 July. That number is set to reach 10,000 under Labour, with 500 crossing last weekend alone.

With the ongoing reporting on the number of migrants entering Britain illegally, immigration will be prioritised above other key issues such as the economy and the NHS, and will therefore be the issue of greatest concern to the public (although the not unrelated issue of crime is also becoming increasingly important).

In particular, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has made it clear that he intends to continue to fight against the immigration record of the established parties. His party responded to Cooper’s announcement today, 21 August, by accusing Labour of “gaslighting the British people with their tough talk.”