Sending U.K. refugees to Rawanda

Priti Patel is under pressure to apologise after being accused of misleading parliament over a central claim relating to her deeply controversial proposals to change immigration law.

The home secretary told MPs that the widely criticised nationality and borders bill would create new safe and legal routes to the UK for asylum seekers, suggesting that new routes would ensure that people no longer need to risk their lives trying to reach the UK.

During a parliamentary debate last November – held the day after 27 people drowned in the Channel as they tried to cross from France – Patel assured MPs that the bill “does create safe and legal routes”.

However, the Home Office has now admitted that the proposed legislation, which is due to go back to the House of Commons this week, in fact contains no provision to provide safe government-backed routes for asylum seekers.

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/apr/17/fury-as-patels-borders-bill-found-misleading-on-safe-routes-for-migrants

Rosina

I am also a tired of the Archbishop of Canterbury carping about what the government isn't doing - if he offered his palace as a haven for refugees from anywhere around the world, that would be a wonderful example of Christian charity.

Refugees have been living at Lambeth Palace since 2015.

Rosina

I am also a tired of the Archbishop of Canterbury carping about what the government isn't doing - if he offered his palace as a haven for refugees from anywhere around the world, that would be a wonderful example of Christian charity.

And the other Christian denominations and faiths who all support Welby?

We have 50 Somali young men in local hotel.They have few possessions and are not allowed to work.There are no local Somalis here so I don't know how they will integrate or what they are supposed to do.

I am also a tired of the Archbishop of Canterbury carping about what the government isn't doing - if he offered his palace as a haven for refugees from anywhere around the world, that would be a wonderful example of Christian charity.

vegansrock

Perhaps a better starting point would be if our dear government worked with other governments to smash the criminal gangs and root out the people smugglers and money launderers who live openly in the U.K. But that might not be good for tory party funds.

This.

I agree with you Chestnut. And I suspect many will support this policy. There may well be plenty of supportive people reading who hesitate to post because of the accusations that will be levelled at them but I can’t imagine anyone who doesn’t support it hesitating to post.

It is wrong - pure and simple.

Nothing more need be said.

DaisyAnne my comment is nothing to do with comparing countries. It was regarding the measurable result of the efficacy of this method. It stopped boat people arriving. That's what this Rwanda scheme is for.
It seems extreme to me.

Casdon - your link emphasises the influence of the smugglers on country of destination.
Growstuff - I have never said that the law requires asylum to be sought in the first safe country. That fewer asylum seekers or economic migrants come to the UK than France or Germany is totally irrelevant. I assume you didn’t see pictures of riot police dealing with people in the Calais camps because they were causing trouble and stealing? People were only there because they were waiting to get to the UK in the back of a lorry or on a boat -not via lawful channels - rather than seeking asylum in France or a previous safe country.

Chestnut

They are not answers at all. Apart from the few that have family here the rest come to hitch a ride on our established society and/or our benefit system. They are taught how to work the system and it's no good pretending otherwise.

When will you accept that we cannot support everyone in the world who wants to come here. We're a very small country and it's a big world with potentially millions of people wanting to come here over time, because they will just keep coming.....

Just one example of working the system: A woman from Romania near me has two little girls 3 and 5. She can't speak English and doesn't work so has no income. She has been given a really lovely two bedroom ground floor flat with use of a garden. Her children get free education, she gets free healthcare. The father drops by every so often for a weekend stay, so what he does and where he lives who knows.

No, we're a very rich country compared with most others. We're less densely populated and much richer than Rwanda.

There are millions of displaced people in the world. As a country with an aspiration to be respected as "Great", we should be playing a leading role in finding solutions - not offloading our problems to a developing country.

Apart from the few that have family here the rest come to hitch a ride on our established society and/or our benefit system. They are taught how to work the system and it's no good pretending otherwise.

It's not "pretending". The evidence shows that they're not choosing to come to the UK - and certainly not for our benefit system.

Romanian people came here legally to work under EU rules. It isn't the woman's fault her husband/partner left her and I can't begin to imagine how difficult that would be in a foreign country.

Local colleges have free courses for those learning English as a second by the way. As do the Polish clubs etc - if we are now talking about Europeans

Just one example of working the system: A woman from Romania near me has two little girls 3 and 5. She can't speak English and doesn't work so has no income. She has been given a really lovely two bedroom ground floor flat with use of a garden. Her children get free education, she gets free healthcare. The father drops by every so often for a weekend stay, so what he does and where he lives who knows.

Perhaps he's in the Army and is defending our country?

Perhaps he works offshore?

Perhaps he is a fruit picker and lives in a caravan during the week and only manages to see his children on the odd weekend?

Germanshepherdsmum

Casdon

Please just read this. It’s not biased, based on fact.
fullfact.org/immigration/why-do-migrants-and-asylum-seekers-want-come-uk/

Seems to me that this proves that the smuggling needs to end and that is the purpose of the Rwanda plan.

How do you work that one out?

Have you changed your mind about the UK being a soft touch as a motivating factor?

Germanshepherdsmum

They don’t all have family here.

They don’t all speak English.

Are some treated badly because they’re misbehaving?

Why are they desperate to get to the UK when they are already in a safe country?

No answers.

Answer ... many more people seek asylum in France and Germany than in the UK.

Where does your idea that they can't apply for asylum in the UK if they're in a "safe" country come from? It's not international law.

Maybe you could answer whether some are treated badly because they're misbehaving.

Germanshepherdsmum

Casdon

Please just read this. It’s not biased, based on fact.
fullfact.org/immigration/why-do-migrants-and-asylum-seekers-want-come-uk/

Seems to me that this proves that the smuggling needs to end and that is the purpose of the Rwanda plan.

Have you got your glasses on?

Aveline

I suppose the Australian model did work in that the 'boat people' stopped trying to enter via those means. Is that not what the proposed new UK model aims for? Interesting that other countries are trying it too.

Aveline, Australia is a long way from anywhere else, we are not. Perhaps your comparison lacks a little insight into the differences in the countries compared.

Casdon

Please just read this. It’s not biased, based on fact.
fullfact.org/immigration/why-do-migrants-and-asylum-seekers-want-come-uk/

Seems to me that this proves that the smuggling needs to end and that is the purpose of the Rwanda plan.

They are not answers at all. Apart from the few that have family here the rest come to hitch a ride on our established society and/or our benefit system. They are taught how to work the system and it's no good pretending otherwise.

When will you accept that we cannot support everyone in the world who wants to come here. We're a very small country and it's a big world with potentially millions of people wanting to come here over time, because they will just keep coming.....

Just one example of working the system: A woman from Romania near me has two little girls 3 and 5. She can't speak English and doesn't work so has no income. She has been given a really lovely two bedroom ground floor flat with use of a garden. Her children get free education, she gets free healthcare. The father drops by every so often for a weekend stay, so what he does and where he lives who knows.

Germanshepherdsmum

I’m sure there are refugees in your area volver, but it’s not where the boats are landing is it? Parts of Kent are really struggling with the influx of people, for instance.

Do they stay in Kent? I thought they were sent to detention centres.

Is the same Kent which is struggling to find people to harvest fruit?

Kent has been struggling for DECADES though as there hasn't been enough support from Central government. That is impacted by the fact people are shipped out of London to the poorer areas of Kent (are there any left now?) especially people who have other problems.

Two of my children live in Kent and some of them were born there. My views are in line with volvers.

I’m sure there are refugees in your area volver, but it’s not where the boats are landing is it? Parts of Kent are really struggling with the influx of people, for instance.

Please just read this. It’s not biased, based on fact.
fullfact.org/immigration/why-do-migrants-and-asylum-seekers-want-come-uk/

Of course m'lud.

Yes, there are no refugees where I live. None at all.

Getting a bit personal I think GSM?