Yvette Cooper / Migrant Watch / Stopping The Boats

I think we should have ID cards.
People are quick enough to get themselves a bus pass, a passport, or a driving licence when they want one. What could a reasonable objection be to carrying one more buss pass sized card in your wallet, alongside the zillions of credit cards, store loyalty cards, buss pass, driving license, library card etc.
If you’ve nothing to hide, you’ve nothing to fear.

I agree, maddyone.

I can actually spell bus

The iPad can’t though

LizzieDrip

^You can’t get much more friendly and co-operative than paying them megabucks^

GSM not everything can be solved by simply chucking money at it. Maybe a genuine, respectful working relationship between the UK and France will be a better place to start. The new government aims to achieve this.

I’m sure you’re not that naive Lizzie. If words and money don’t work, why should mere words do so? It’s not in the interests of France to prevent people coming here in boats or otherwise is it?

Wyllow3 thanks for explaining the situation upthread was not as it seemed... but pleased that those entitled to be here ate being looked after.

If only the processing of applications was quicker and more accurate!

Sago

We once sat in a queue of traffic to get on a ferry at Calais, the queue was extremely long and slow moving, we watched as two young immigrants tried to break into a caravan, French Police were stood by chatting, someone alerted them, they sauntered over and shooed them away.

There is very little appetite for the French to sort this, it’s better it becomes our problem than theirs!

I would love to know the cost to the taxpayers of keeping these men in the UK, will they be entitled to pensions eventually, what about health care, what if they become parents, end up in prison etc?

Meanwhile we have ex servicemen sleeping on the streets.

Our friend had a migrant hanging onto the driveshaft of his Motohome. He has a huge American motohome. It’s never once been thoroughly serched.
The same with us. On a rough estimate we have crossed from Calais to Dover 20 times.
No one has ever looked in the bathroom where at least 6 people could hide.
Under the banquette you could get 2 people.
The boot could hide 6.
We tow a Smart car. They’ve never looked in that.
All the border guards have ever done is a walk through.

I’m another with the idea of ID cards. Mandatory in Spain. We carried ours no problema. The police we saw out and about frequently asked to see ID in certain situations. I think it makes one feel safer. Europe has the right idea on this imo. Plus as France reminds us, it would stop many illegals migrants working ‘cash in hand’. That’s another reason why they head over here apparently. Think car washes, the curry mile …
We squeal but are too soft in the UK.

I completely agree with ID cards but worry about the black market trade in fakes.

I live in the South so a well aware of the problems all this causes near the South Coast.

But, although ID cards may or not be a good idea, I’m not sure how it would help with the little boats.

Many landing here haven’t got any proof of who they are.

Employers are supposed to ask for ID/visas before they employ anyone. Some don’t, so they won’t be worried about ID cards.

Cash in hands jobs might be an issue, but if we manage to stop people working, or refuse to give them benefits, then we create more problems.

Very few people will allow themselves to starve to death - so, they will survive by robbing/stealing/begging and sleeping rough. 🤷‍♀️

How do the (waiting & watching) migrants in the Calais tent city survive for weeks on end?

Well, according to the French, by begging, stealing and various charities helping. They are all sleeping rough, obviously. .🤷‍♀️

That's whats happening in the USA (black market ID ) - en masse.

For weeks & months on end. Then they have the gall to complain about the Bibby Stockholm? With free bus passes into town, a doctor, nurse and dentist in attendance.

Hmm.
We definitely ARE too soft. After Calais surely this would seem like a bed in the Hilton?
Clean, basic, 3 meals a day.
Oh “would you like a mobile phone to go with that sir?”

Ludicrous, some of the myths around.

"Asylum seekers do not receive phones as part of their standard support package from the Home Office, though a number of charities do provide donated phones to new arrivals"

Full Fact.

Yvette Cooper and the Labour Party voted against many measures the Tories were trying to bring in. She moaned a lot about it. I think we need to give them time (not too much!)to get themselves together. But then I expect her to sort it out because she’s dismissed so many attempts to try and stop the boats. Presumably she has a plan in mind!

The conservatives spent 3 years to try and get the Rwanda plan off the ground, which wouldnt have worked because of the numbers Rwanda could take would never be enough.

I expect Labour to start putting plans into place but not quick results. and asking it within a week? People have posted the plans upthread if you want to check.

Wyllow3

The conservatives spent 3 years to try and get the Rwanda plan off the ground, which wouldnt have worked because of the numbers Rwanda could take would never be enough.

I expect Labour to start putting plans into place but not quick results. and asking it within a week? People have posted the plans upthread if you want to check.

Stopped at every turn by Labour and Labour/Lib Dems in the House of Lords. If the first plane had been allowed to take off 2/3 years ago things might have been different but was stopped by some faceless ECHR judge who like Labour didn't want it to succeed.

Also it was a deterrent to put migrants off crossing the Channel anyway all water under the bridge now excuse my pun. Labour had to axe it even if it was working because they spent 2/3 years trying to stop it. Cutting their noses off to spite their face in my opinion because they have no plan.

Wyllow3

Ludicrous, some of the myths around.

"Asylum seekers do not receive phones as part of their standard support package from the Home Office, though a number of charities do provide donated phones to new arrivals"

Full Fact.

They do have better accommodation than the homeless here, though.

Fact.

Tens of thousands of taxpayer-funded mobile phones are being handed to foreign criminals who are subject to deportation and the rocketing number of people who came here without permission, including those who claimed asylum after entering the UK by dinghy. 14,000 were given out just between January and September this year.(Migration Watch Website)

The conservatives spent 3 years to try and get the Rwanda plan off the ground, which wouldnt have worked because of the numbers Rwanda could take would never be enough

I beg to differ Wyllow3. Once word got round (via those mobile phones supplied by charities - who pays for the SIM cards? and top up Pay As You Go?) and flights were SEEN to be taking off, then the deterrent factor would have been proven.

As migrants themselves in Calais said “what’s the point in paying a lot of money to end up in Rwanda?”

Long term, this would have worked I’m sure of it.

No matter.
Yvette Cooper has a plan B that she’s been formulating in her head for months, I’m sure of it.

It will be very interesting to hear what it is. We are all waiting.

I suppose its good if one is an immigrant to have a smattering of the language at least?

No problema, always useful.

Nicenanny3

Tens of thousands of taxpayer-funded mobile phones are being handed to foreign criminals who are subject to deportation and the rocketing number of people who came here without permission, including those who claimed asylum after entering the UK by dinghy. 14,000 were given out just between January and September this year.(Migration Watch Website)

This is wrong.

Around 14,000 mobile phones were reported to have been handed out to asylum seekers during the course of the pandemic as immigration staff were unable to interview individuals face to face because of Covid-19 restrictions. This was a temporary measure.

Full Fact, Feb 2024
fullfact.org/online/asylum-seeker-free-iphone/

Many landing here haven’t got any proof of who they are

They should be the first to be deported. What if one of us landed somewhere with absolutely nothing to prove who we are, where we came from, no idea of any medical conditions we might have……

I assume those who come here illegally get a full medical before they are sent on to wherever they go?

Where do they go? You see them coming ashore, but what happens then? Do they then go to the hotels?

Never seem to hear what the process involves.

The phones migrants are given surely can't have cameras or we would be seeing photos of the conditions in which they are kept? I assume they don't have Internet access either, just a pay as you go phone to make calls? Provided the phone isn't used for say drug trafficking or something illegal, then I can't see much wrong with their having one to contact friends and family. They're probably old reconditioned ones.

Another 44 paid people smugglers to cross the channel yesterday. Total 590 new arrivals.