Why do Asylum Seekers cross the channel on small boats

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202408/medium-617588-2024-0619-203742.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202408/medium-973981-2024-0619-203921.jpg

And here are some of the countries they come from.

Why do asylum seekers cross the Channel on small boats?

Because they have enough money to pay the smugglers. Because they can’t get a visa to enter the UK legally. If they could get a visa to enter the UK legally they would because why would they risk their lives otherwise.

My young friend A came to Britain as an asylum seeker from Iran. He felt that his political views put him in danger, as they had already caused him to be estranged from his family.
He chose here because, like many educated Iranins he spoke excellent English. As far as I know, he does not speak French.
Once granted leave to remain he found work.
He is, in addition, a hardworking local Councillor, and has married a local woman.
Sadly, he has no contact with his Iranian family.

I’m still not sure some of our GNs do truly understand what seeking asylum actually means….asylum can be sought for a myriad of reasons, but mostly connected with their governments, for example Russia or more recently Afghanistan, imagine trying to leave those countries safely and legally?

There are no “safe, legal” routes into this country for asylum seekers, and you have to request asylum in person, in the country in which you wish to grant you asylum.

Your last web reference cossy is a "must read" about how the smugglers operate. Its so clear that tackling them is quite rightly a key aim.

Wyllow3

Your last web reference cossy is a "must read" about how the smugglers operate. Its so clear that tackling them is quite rightly a key aim.

👍👍👍

These links are very informative. Thanks Cossy x

migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk/resources/briefings/migration-to-the-uk-asylum/

This is also a useful source of information based on statistics.

They cross in small boats because theFrench don’t stopthem.

Primrose53

They cross in small boats because theFrench don’t stopthem.

Your post clearly shows that you haven’t read a single link.

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

Message removed as it refers to a now-deleted post

Did you read my post Primrose?

Primrose53

They cross in small boats because theFrench don’t stopthem.

Honestly Primrose, why don’t you read the links and have a little more understanding (and god forbid empathy)

It seems you’re so brainwashed by certain political parties and media that you utterly refuse to accept that ANYONE coming over on the boats (or in the back of lorries) is a genuine refugee!

I worked with a good few, some arriving were unaccompanied minors (not the 5 or so who have been identified as over 18).

You just seem hell bent on believing everyone seeking asylum is a wicked criminal coming here to rape and pillage (they are not Vikings)

All of us here are grown up enough to realise that amongst those coming there are going to be those who are economic migrants trying their luck and an element of criminality. Just like in other large cohorts of people, some good, some bad.

The real criminals of course are the traffickers and those running our black economy who literally imprison some of these migrants into modern slavery.

I did some work and attended some training with the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Team, on human trafficking and modern slavery in this country, it was shocking.

Chestnut, you are so brave to stand your ground. You are fully entitled to put your point of view, plenty feel like you and I do about this issue. Its not a question of lacking in empathy or being “racist” no matter the accusations.

I'd like to know the sources for Chestnut's map.

Primrose too see my above post

keepingquiet

I'd like to know the sources for Chestnut's map.

Even if I enlarge the map, its not clear what its saying - there is no explanation of symbols and I cant read the words too fuzzy.
perhaps a link to the source?

I don't usually re-post memes as I prefer it when people use their own words; but this says it better than I possibly could.

Please take the time to read values, voice and virtues new British Politics by professor Matthew Goodwin.

Lets put it another way round. What sort of conditions would lead you to risk your life and your whole family in order to escape from this country to another country?

I heard a story today, of a young man. His family had always been active in opposition politics in his country of origin, but the government had become a dictaatorship. First his father was arrested and killed. His mother was told he had had a heart attack, but they saw the body and it was clear he had been tortured to death. Then his brother disappearedand has now been missing for 5 years.

His mother fearful of losing her only surviving son, told him to flee the country immediately. He would not be safe in an adjacent country because of his govenment's hit squads, Britain has a reputation as upholding the rule of law, so his mother sold everything she could to raise the money to pay people smugglers to get him to Britain. He speaks fluent English and has relations in this country.

In his and his mother's ssituation. What would you do?

Primrose53

They cross in small boats because theFrench don’t stopthem.

The French take many more refugees than the UK. It works out about equally allowing for size of country and per capita.

Wyllow3

keepingquiet

I'd like to know the sources for Chestnut's map.

Even if I enlarge the map, its not clear what its saying - there is no explanation of symbols and I cant read the words too fuzzy.
perhaps a link to the source?

The source was a local BBC news item on TV. There was a world map on the wall of an organisation who helped refugees/migrants. The lady who was interviewed said "These are the countries our clients come from". I was so shocked by the obvious visual impact of this map, the huge number of countries and the tiny little UK in the corner, I took a photo with my camera. That's why the map is not clear, although I think it's clear enough to get the point across.

Doodledog

I don't usually re-post memes as I prefer it when people use their own words; but this says it better than I possibly could.

If you want to be picky we are all descended from the first homo sapiens who lived in the Middle Paleolithic period, or is that a bit too far back? We have a bit of Neaderthal DNA thrown in too.

None of this has any relevance to the problems of mass migration we are experiencing today, on a scale never seen before in the history of this country. Don't pretend we can cope with this because we can't.