Yvette Cooper / Migrant Watch / Stopping The Boats

The numbers of people crossing are no different to last year. Please give a reliable impartial source for these “reports”.

There were no plans for Rwanda to take the number of people the Telegragh etc are claiming. Rwandan government spokesperson Yolande Makolo confirmed this on 5 May 2024 only seventeen days before the election was called. All the Rwanda government had in place was Hope Hostel which could house 200 people. The UK government had not yet negotiated how many people Rwanda could or would take.

What Sunak said during the election, that airfields were on stand by, planes (plural) were booked and ready to go as if the Tories won the election was a lie. This has all been discussed before. Why do you think he called the election when he did and knowing that he was likely to lose? To avoid admitting the truth.

Stop believing the lies that the right-wing and right-wing media are publishing and allow the new government time to the address a problem that its predecessors were unable to solve. We haven’t even had the State Opening of Parliament yet where the government sets out its legislative agenda.

Ah! Lee Anderson the font of all that it true and decent. In his new role as Whip he needs to be very careful what he says to the media. I’m quite glad he’s been given the post as it means he’s now gagged from speaking in the HoC. Be thankful for small mercies. No more stupid 30p speeches criticising those who need foodbanks.

Agreed, Wyllow. This notion of pushbacks and the legal ramifications were all debated there years ago when Priti Patel was Home Secretary. Maybe Anderson should have been paying attention and taken the time to familarise himself with international marine law which hasn’t changed.

As the right-wing in America become increasingly deluded, dangerous and hostile to the UK, whipped up even more now by that madman Vance, we need to be very careful of alienating our nearest friends in Europe and to work with them to find a solution to this. Of course, we did have some recourse through the the Dublin Agreement but that was lost because we left the EU.

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202407/medium-59262-unknown.jpeg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202407/medium-28758-images.jpeg

Nicenanny3

youtube.com/shorts/qxm1PjdevG8?si=V4ZOCeaijKbtjkgx

And the difference between these and Lee Anderson's short clip?

I agree with your last paragraph Merion.

I see no future, especially with whats going on in the USA, in being tiny "Fortress UK".

It's not just on stopping the people smugglers, we cannot do this without closer cooperation, but also on much needed improvement in trading agreements. (No I am not suggesting rejoining EU, just sensible amendments for businesses)

Nicenanny3

youtu.be/ICzoxasETyE?si=O9AgAWu85ObCOWZj

I watch numerous post/videos on YouTube on all different subjects why don't you have a look. I agree don't take for granted everything you read on GN do your own research.

I'll be posting daily updates re the new arrivals across the channel to raise public awareness, please yourself if you look at this thread or not.

No thanks

Wyllow3

knspol

The Rwanda plan cost millions and now all that money has been wasted because Labour have chosen to scrap the only thing introduced that actually did deter migrants. There were reports of new camps set up in France waiting for Starmer to become PM because they knew that would mean scrapping the deterrent and welcoming them with open arms.

Which reports?

Reliable confirmed sources needed for this kind of claim.
The Rwanda millions weren’t wasted because of Labour. They were wasted by the conservatives in persisting with an illegal nonsense

Nicenanny3

The Syrian gang masters are not calling Starmer 'The Friendly One' for nothing.

I would have thought the evidence of Kevin Saunders, former Chief Immigration Officer would be sufficient. I gave that a few days ago.

Trouble is whatever source you quote it’s either not from a newspaper or TV channel some on here approve of.

Here you go

www.express.co.uk/news/politics/1919989/France-migrants-Channel-crossing-keir-starmer#

Maybe the word " former" is relevant here?

Strange really that " The Kurds" ( all of them?) and the Syrian gangmasters are able to communicate so effectively and decide KS is the friendly one.

Ah well, the wonders of modern technology I suppose.

youtu.be/aTfPEyei4GI?si=w7WkmjKhpXiJSa5c

All kicking off in Coolock when will our politicians listen to what the people want.

16:17Primrose53

Yes Primrose I agree 👏👏👏

I don't think there is any way of stopping the immigrants by force. All methods will either be ineffective or against human rights. The only method that will work is to persuade people not to to come. Many of the people coming have a rosy false idea of what it is like here and are sadly disillusioned when they get here. So we should advertise in the countries they are coming from what it is really like here and that it is best not to try. We could then spend the money we are spending trying to stop them on improving the countries where they are and trying to persuade their leaders to be more tolerant and less war like. Not an easy task but trying to put up barriers is not working and costing billions.

Over 60% of asylum claims are granted.

The comparative numbers do not suggest that the threat of being sent to Rwanda has had any affect on the number of arrivals. In fact, more people arrived in the first six months of this year than in the previous two years.

In 2022, there were around 13 asylum applications for every 10,000 people living in the UK. Across the EU27 there were 22 asylum applications for every 10,000 people. The UK was therefore below the average among EU countries for asylum applications per head of population, ranking 19th among EU27 countries plus the UK on this measure.

Source: commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn01403/

According to the Express link: Mr Saunders is alleged to have said: “Now, of course, we're seeing that the Kurds over in northern France have come up with a name for Kier, which they which I think means "the friendly one", because they all believe that he's going to be very good for illegal migration.”

Leaving aside that the paper’s Home Affairs and Defence Editor cannot spell the name of the Prime Minister - unless Mr Edwards can speak Kurmanji - then he doesn’t know what they are saying.

I'll leave you to believing what you read in right-wing tabloids and the ramblings of Lee Anderson. MRDA.

olddog

Maybe the word " former" is relevant here?

He retired. Sorry if that doesn’t fit your agenda olddog

Nicenanny3. What did I tell you? 🤣🤣🤣

Kevin Saunders retired in 2016. Migrants started arriving in numbers by boat in the UK in 2018.

Casdon

Kevin Saunders retired in 2016. Migrants started arriving in numbers by boat in the UK in 2018.

And? He has more experience than you or I and more than anybody I could name. Perhaps you would care to name somebody you consider more experienced?

He has vast experience of keeping illegal immigrants out of our country having worked in Calais for most of those years so knows all the places they try to hide in lorries etc.

He clearly did a good job because hardly any come in by road now. He also still keeps a watch on what’s going on with the boat people. I imagine you don’t spend years working for Border Force and just walk away, uninterested when you retire.

*Good post, Jackiest.

Primrose53

Casdon

Kevin Saunders retired in 2016. Migrants started arriving in numbers by boat in the UK in 2018.

And? He has more experience than you or I and more than anybody I could name. Perhaps you would care to name somebody you consider more experienced?

He has vast experience of keeping illegal immigrants out of our country having worked in Calais for most of those years so knows all the places they try to hide in lorries etc.

He clearly did a good job because hardly any come in by road now. He also still keeps a watch on what’s going on with the boat people. I imagine you don’t spend years working for Border Force and just walk away, uninterested when you retire.

He looks to me like a stupid old twat with nothing better to do with his time.

Somebody bunging him a few quid I suppose.

A lot has changed in eight years, once retired we all become dinosaurs quickly. I’m sure that the government will be relying on people with up to date knowledge and experience.

Speak for yourself!

You do know that a Chief Immigration Officer is not a senior position in the Border Force? It’s remarkable that Saunders gets so much media attention, not least that, as Casdon points out, he has been retired for eight years.

CIO is an HEO grade in the Civil Service just three grades up from the most junior of admin staff. After that you have Immigration Officer (SEO) then Assistant Director (Grade 7), Deputy Director (Grade 6), Director (SCS1), Senior Director (SCS2) then Director General (SCS3).

The two most senior officers in Border Force are Director General Phil Douglas and Chief Operating Officer Steve Dann.

Would I care to name someone more experienced? Yes, I would. Steve Dann. The proof is here:

www.gov.uk/government/people/steve-dann

As opposed to Saunders who describes himself on LinkedIn:

I am an expert in the working on the UK border and control system, and the juxtaposed controls in France.I worked closely the French frontier police (PAF) and French customs authority. I worked with both DFDS and P&O to make the ferry crossing of the Channel efficient and secure.

Just a sample of socials about Saunders:

Astonishing that someone as dim and inarticulate as Kevin Saunders could ever have risen to be the chief of UK Border Force (which of course he didn’t). Defends the Tory Rwanda rendition scam, yet can’t answer a single question about how Israel’s Rwanda scheme ended in farce. Thick as a brick.

Why does BBC R4 keep interviewing Kevin Saunders & introducing him as former Border Force Chief Immigration Officer, implying he was in charge of the Border Force, when he was a CIO - what is now called a Border Force Higher Officer and thus one of many middle managers?

Nasty, ignorant racist Kevin Saunders is on BBC again spewing bile. Saunders is an embarrassing repellent man. Hideous on the outside and inside.

Merion - cracking post, thanks so much for setting the truth about Saunders

So easy to bandy the word racist around. I have never met anyone who is racist, most folks are tolerant and kindly.

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