, Labour’s Shadow
immigration Minister, responding to the Prime Minister's
admission that he doesn't know when he will stop small boat
Channel crossings, said:
"A year on from making his public pledge, has just admitted there is 'no
firm date' by which he will meet his target to 'stop the boats'.
"He also promised to clear 91,000 old asylum claims by end of
this year, but he is set to fall far short of this target
too.
"Labour will smash the criminal smuggler gangs through a new
cross-border police unit and security partnership. We'll also
hire more than 1000 extra caseworkers to speed up processing and
staff a 1000-strong new returns unit to remove people with no
right to be here."
Ends
Notes:
The overall asylum backlog, including the legacy backlog, stands
at 109,000:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/656dff6d9462260721c568ab/statistics-relating-to-the-illegal-migration-act-data-tables-to-nov-2023.ods
Labour’s five-point plan to reform the asylum system:
-
Crackdown on criminal smuggler gangs, through new
Cross-Border Police Unit and deeper security cooperation with
Europe
A Labour Government would crackdown on criminal smuggler gangs by
introducing stronger powers for the UK’s National Crime Agency to
restrict the movement of those suspected of being involved in
people smuggling and setting up a new cross-border police unit
with officers based in the UK and across Europe to tackle gangs
upstream.
That would include officers being posted directly to Europol to
collaborate on joint investigations and to identify and seize
boats upstream. Labour will also seek to negotiate a new security
agreement with Europe, including a replacement to SIS-II, to
allow for the real-time sharing of intelligence on people
smuggling suspects. To fund this, Labour would redirect spending
from the unworkable Rwanda scheme, which the government has
admitted is subject to a very high risk of fraud.
-
End hotel use, clear the Tory asylum backlog, and speed
up returns to safe countries
Labour will save the taxpayer billions by ending the use of
hotels for asylum seekers within 12 months and setting up a new
returns unit for safe countries. Labour will recruit over 1,000
Home Office caseworkers to clear the record Tory asylum backlog,
and a further 1,000 staff for a new returns unit so that those
who do not have a right to stay here can be quickly removed, and
we end the use of costly hotels at the taxpayers’ expense. Labour
will fast track decisions on applications from safe countries,
like India and Albania, which are unlikely to be granted; and
establish a new returns unit to reverse the 70% collapse in
asylum removals that the Tory Government has overseen since 2010.
-
Reform resettlement routes to stop people being
exploited by gangs
Labour would redesign the existing resettlement schemes which are
not currently working properly so that they include a clearer
process for refugees with family connections in the UK to be
considered for resettlement, preventing them being exploited by
criminal gangs or making dangerous journeys.
-
New agreement with France and other countries on
returns and family reunion
Labour would negotiate a new agreement which includes safe
returns and safe family reunions for child refugees.
-
Tackle humanitarian crises at source helping refugees
in their region
Labour would work in partnership internationally to address some
of the humanitarian crises that are leading people to flee their
homes including restoring the 0.7% aid commitment when the fiscal
situation allows and strengthening support for the people of
Afghanistan, currently the largest group trying to cross the
Channel.
