‘Why is the UK the final destination?’ Calls to open safe routes for asylum seekers spark fury in clash with GB News

“Normally it’s people who have family ties here. The safe and legal routes help to prevent boats crossing the Channel, where we see too many people dying. In Ukraine, for example, no one got on a small boat to get to the UK.

“They were able to apply for a visa in their country, escape the war, get on a plane and arrive safely in the UK.”

Charlie Downs, Head of Content at Migration Central, commented: “The UK government spends billions of pounds on its asylum system every year, a budget of around £4 billion.

“If times were better, if the economy was better, if ordinary people were doing better, then I would say maybe we should think about opening up more safe and legal routes.

“Every sensible and self-respecting first world country feels obliged to help those who are less fortunate than us.

“The fact is that the UK is not in a position to do that at the moment. We are in a very bad position, economically, socially, culturally, politically, and I don’t think we can really provide that. I don’t think we are a safe country.

“I think that’s what it comes down to. I don’t think we’re a safe country for refugees to settle in because we can’t even protect our own children from being stabbed by criminals who shouldn’t be here in the first place.”

Ben responded: “There are people who argue that we shouldn’t have taken in refugees from Ukraine in the first place.