MP, Shadow Home Secretary,
said:
“Labour should put foreign criminals on a plane home, not onto
british streets.
“If Labour had a backbone and deported all illegal immigrants,
there would not be the need for asylum accommodation. Foreign
nationals who commit crimes should be deported anyway. Labour
have deported only 6 per cent of illegal arrivals since coming to
office, so rolling out another gimmick will not change a thing.
“Only the Conservative Party has a clear plan to deport illegal
arrivals within a week and remove all foreign national offenders
by leaving the ECHR and ECAT allowing us to take the necessary
action and close asylum accommodation. Labour are too weak to do
this.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
-
More than 66,000 illegal immigrants have crossed the
Channel since the election, giving the highest number of
crossings of any Prime Minister on record. Since
the 4 July 2024, 66,244 illegal immigrants have crossed the
Channel (Home Office, Small Boat Arrivals, 25 February
2026, link).
Asylum accommodation
-
The number of people in asylum hotels is 30,657, higher
than at the time of the election. The number of asylum
seekers being housed in hotels by 31 December 2025 was 30,657.
The number of asylum seekers being housed in hotels by June
2024 was 29,585 (Home Office, Accredited Official
Statistics, 26 February 2026, link).
-
The number of people in dispersal accommodation is
68,538, higher than at the time of the
election. The number of asylum seekers being
housed in dispersal accommodation by 31 December 2025 was
68,538. The number of asylum seekers being housed in dispersal
accommodation by June 2024 was 61,778 (Home Office,
Accredited Official Statistics, 26 February 2026,
link).
-
The total number of people in asylum accommodation is
107,003, higher than at the time of the election. The
number of asylum seekers being housed in accommodation by 31
December 2025 was 107,003. The number of asylum seekers being
housed by June 2024 was 100,995 (Home Office,Accredited
Official Statistics, 26 February 2026, link).
Small boat returns
-
Only 6 per cent of small boat arrivals have been
returned under Labour (Home Office, Accredited
Official Statistics, 26 February 2026, link).
-
Since Labour took office, less than 17 per cent of
returns have been enforced. Only 14,351 returns have
been enforced since July 2024 (Home Office, Accredited
Official Statistics, 26 February 2026, link).
The Conservative Party believes that if we are to
completely end illegal immigration, we need a comprehensive plan
that removes every illegal arrival swiftly and straightforwardly
– this is the BORDERS plan:
-
We will introduce our BORDERS plan – a bold,
no-nonsense plan to take back control of our borders and fix
the broken immigration system. This means:
Banning asylum claims for illegal
immigrants. Out of ECHR and ECAT.
Removals force established.
Deport all illegal arrivals within a
week. End the immigration tribunal.
Returns agreements backed by sanctions.
Support our allies to prevent entry to
Europe (Conservatives, Our BORDERS Plan, accessed
10 October 2025, link; BBC
News, 5 October, link).
