Capsized boat in the channel - 30 to 50 on board

“In what way are we a soft touch ?” Let me see.
Putting them up in hotels. Feeding them, giving them spending money, all with the chance of being given a flat or house at some point, and a practically zero risk of being deported.
The ‘asylum’ system takes many months ( as it should as we know nothing about these people or if any of them wish us harm)and even if a claim is refused, there would always be a Left - leaning Human Rights lawyer ready to appeal on their behalf.
More delays and meanwhile of course the cost to the taxpayer here continues to mount.

To my mind that constitutes being a soft touch.

Incidentally, France has got tougher on trafficking, so the networks have relocated to Belgium. We'd better give Belgium some money as well.

JenniferEccles In 2020/21, the UK spent £458.8 million on the National Crime Agency (that's a total - not just for trafficking) and £704.9 million on Border Force. In both cases, those are considerable cuts since 2015.

It's puzzling because Conservative governments claim to be tough on immigration. It's all very well being loud with rhetoric about having tough laws, but not much good if the resources aren't available to enforce them.

I agree with Maizie that it would be better to reduce demand for trafficking, but if you're not going to do that, the least that could be done would be to make sure that the laws could be enforced.

2J8DATLAS

Absolutely in agreement with this comment. Our country is being taken advantage of by economic migrants because we are a soft touch. And the traffickers are lining their pockets!!!

In what way is the UK a soft touch?

JenniferEccles

We have recently given France a substantial increase in the amount we already pay them to stop this illegal people trafficking operation. Why are this crossings still happening?
These sad incidents will continue until the people smugglers are defeated.
Whilst a few are genuine asylum seekers, as we have all suspected, a lot are simply economic migrants from perfectly safe countries like Albania.

Even a BBC tv news reporter yesterday asked if so many are trying to sneak in here because we are a soft touch.

Meanwhile we are spending over five million pounds PER DAY to accommodate these people in hotels up and down the country.
Then there is the increased strain on an already struggling NHS. This can’t be allowed to continue.

Surely a tough approach like that adopted by Australia a few years ago is the best solution.
Their system broke the people smugglers operation within a year.

Do you ever read the posts that set out a solution to the crisis that doesn't involve breaking International law, or leaving people to die in icy water, and which would cut out the traffickers?

Or do you just want to go on demonising asylum seekers?

Absolutely in agreement with this comment. Our country is being taken advantage of by economic migrants because we are a soft touch. And the traffickers are lining their pockets!!!

JenniferEccles

We have recently given France a substantial increase in the amount we already pay them to stop this illegal people trafficking operation. Why are this crossings still happening?
These sad incidents will continue until the people smugglers are defeated.
Whilst a few are genuine asylum seekers, as we have all suspected, a lot are simply economic migrants from perfectly safe countries like Albania.

Even a BBC tv news reporter yesterday asked if so many are trying to sneak in here because we are a soft touch.

Meanwhile we are spending over five million pounds PER DAY to accommodate these people in hotels up and down the country.
Then there is the increased strain on an already struggling NHS. This can’t be allowed to continue.

Surely a tough approach like that adopted by Australia a few years ago is the best solution.
Their system broke the people smugglers operation within a year.

Why didn’t the government use that money to set up a unit on the French coast to receive the applications?

Instead they fork out millions to the French authorities and millions to hotels etc. all entirely resulting in a sterile use of our money, which is utterly wasted.

Instead they could identify the refugees who could then come into the U.K. willing and able to work contributing to the U.K. economy.

I'm so pleased to hear some have been rescued and the news wasnt accurate.

We have recently given France a substantial increase in the amount we already pay them to stop this illegal people trafficking operation. Why are this crossings still happening?
These sad incidents will continue until the people smugglers are defeated.
Whilst a few are genuine asylum seekers, as we have all suspected, a lot are simply economic migrants from perfectly safe countries like Albania.

Even a BBC tv news reporter yesterday asked if so many are trying to sneak in here because we are a soft touch.

Meanwhile we are spending over five million pounds PER DAY to accommodate these people in hotels up and down the country.
Then there is the increased strain on an already struggling NHS. This can’t be allowed to continue.

Surely a tough approach like that adopted by Australia a few years ago is the best solution.
Their system broke the people smugglers operation within a year.

From the pictures on Sky News, it looks as though some people were still on the sinking boat when it was rescued, so I’m hopeful there will be some survivors at least.a fingers and everything else crossed that they were all wearing functioning life jackets.

If this country went bankrupt or was at war and you were offered a place in Australia for £5000 then a lot of people would take that option.

If you got as far as Indonesia and were quite safe would you stay or try to continue to Australia where they speak English and where you may have family?

I was thinking only yesterday, after the news of those poor children in Salford, that small boat passengers wouldn't stand much of a chance if they were to upset in the channel. Prophetic, may be...

I do hope the survivors are alright.

Sky news said it was a search, not a search and rescue mission.
Dreadful news.

Whitewavemark2

25Avalon

It’s the UK Coastguard carrying out the rescue as well as the RNLI along with some assistance by the French. All are doing their best.

I know, but the RNLI are the only British charity carrying out the rescue mission. So I can therefore show my appreciation.

DH has increased our monthly contribution recently because the RNLI does such wonderful work around our coasts.
The thought of falling into that freezing water doesn't bear thinking about. Were any of them children?

This is dreadful.

Processing not just in France but in the camps and other points of need elsewhere, so there are safe routes, is surely sensible.

MaizieD

growstuff

In order to help fight traffickers, the National Crime Agency has had its budget increased, which is great because its funding has been halved since 2010.

That really seems like throwing money in the wrong direction. Spending it on providing a safe route and more effective processing would stop most of the traffickers.

I can't disagree with that. I just think it's somewhat ironic.

Agree with Whitewavemark.

growstuff

In order to help fight traffickers, the National Crime Agency has had its budget increased, which is great because its funding has been halved since 2010.

That really seems like throwing money in the wrong direction. Spending it on providing a safe route and more effective processing would stop most of the traffickers.

In order to help fight traffickers, the National Crime Agency has had its budget increased, which is great because its funding has been halved since 2010.

25Avalon

Strictly speaking they are not refugees as they are coming from a safe place ie France.

How do you work that one out?

25Avalon

It’s the UK Coastguard carrying out the rescue as well as the RNLI along with some assistance by the French. All are doing their best.

I know, but the RNLI are the only British charity carrying out the rescue mission. So I can therefore show my appreciation.

25Avalon

Strictly speaking they are not refugees as they are coming from a safe place ie France.

I'm afraid that that is not in accordance with International law on refugees, as has been pointed out many times before on similar threads on this topic. It only applied under the Dublin Agreement when we were members of the EU. We are no longer party to it since Brexit.

Of course they won't stop. We would migrate if we lived in the conditions they live in. With climate change this is going to happen more and more. Just trying to stop them is futile.

I'm so glad they haven't all perished.

It’s the UK Coastguard carrying out the rescue as well as the RNLI along with some assistance by the French. All are doing their best.

Whitewavemark2

25Avalon

This is why this migration by small boats needs to be stopped. Not only are these migrants risking their lives in freezing cold waters but now local people can’t access A&E either. Emergency services are searching in awful conditions. There has to be a better way. We either stop it completely like Australia or we have a better system in place for migrants to legally apply. The traffickers who organise the boats have blood on their hands.

They need easy and identifiable routes.

They need to be able to check in to a centre at the French coast and then be taken to the U.K. by Ferry where their application for asylum is dealt with quickly and efficiently.

Once identified as a refugee they can then work and help fill all the vacant posts.

Those minority who are not deemed to be refugees should be sent back to their own country asap.

Simple - but not apparently for this government who appears to be unable to organise a piss-up in a brewery.

What Whitewavemark said. Absolutely agree.