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Why don’t we use the military re stop the boats?

(275 Posts)
Bea65 Fri 19-Sept-25 05:28:44

Ok Trump suggested this …as after all we’re being invaded…actually I tend to think this is an ok idea….i see Trump’s logic here and for once in my life, I agree with this…am sick and fed up seeing people land here and get taken care of re housing/food/ etc etc…rant over…not slept..lumbar pain…

Babs03 Fri 19-Sept-25 19:48:31

GrannyGravy13

Maritime Law?

It is the duty of anyone on the sea to rescue souls when they are in danger of drowning due to their vessel being in trouble or any kind…

Indeed.
A human life is a human life and there cannot be a time when we just stand by whilst people drown no matter how passionately we feel about the small boats crisis.

growstuff Fri 19-Sept-25 19:41:45

NotSpaghetti

Please, please, please, could Gransnetters stop calling people "illegals:?
🙏

Let them carry on. It's a dehumanising term for human beings. The people who use it show themselves up for what they are.

growstuff Fri 19-Sept-25 19:39:23

One of the reasons the RNLI prefers to be a charity than become a branch of the state-funded coastguard is that it knows the government can't cut its income for political reasons.

The fact that its donations increase shows that the public supports what it does.

PaynesGrey Fri 19-Sept-25 19:34:06

People might like to look at the RNLI’s annual report for 2024 not least to see the variety of work that it does.

Income from donations increased by £5.4 million.

Rescues in the Channel are complex. It says:

Our crews launched 114 times to suspected Channel crossings rescuing 1,371 people.

But note that is only 1.2% of total RNLI launches in the course of the year.

Stats are on pages 8 and 9.

The most cited reason for lifeboat rescues in 2024 was people getting into difficulty in and around the water (cut off by the tide, slips, trips and falls).

Note how lifeguarding is an important part of the work its volunteers do with over 1,500,000 million preventative actions in the South West, Wales and the West alone with 56 lives saved in those regions.

rnli.org/about-us/how-the-rnli-is-run/annual-reports

growstuff Fri 19-Sept-25 18:22:19

In the past, when the RNLI has been the target of smears, its donations have increased. If the majority of people really did want the RNLI to watch while people drown, donations would have dried up long before now.

Allira Fri 19-Sept-25 18:17:01

GrannyGravy13

Maritime Law?

It is the duty of anyone on the sea to rescue souls when they are in danger of drowning due to their vessel being in trouble or any kind…

Yes, I'm appalled at some of the answers.

Maritime Law and the Royal Navy would be there to rescue anyone in peril at sea.

I think the RN might mutiny if ordered to do this.

Madgran77 Fri 19-Sept-25 18:07:16

What I don't understand is why our Border Force and our RNLI are helping them. The smugglers business model seems to be absolutely based on "We'll (mis)use the Brits Border Force and RNLI to finish our job for us".

Because lives are in danger

Bea65 Fri 19-Sept-25 16:20:45

growstuff

Unfortunately, this poster isn't the only one who thinks like that.

Honestly, I'm getting more and more anxious ..people saying the flags are now responsible for racist tensions..am in fear of the future ..we need our military support ..the police hands are tied...

God bless us All

growstuff Fri 19-Sept-25 16:18:18

Bea65

I think many laws are being broken ..who is accountable and is our Government responsible....

am feeling very anxious about these and other global events...thinking of racist tensions and am actually not wanting to socialise much... staying home more and more...am I alone

Don't let them make you stay at home. You are not alone in feeling anxious about the current climate, so don't let them intimidate you. The fact is that they're a minority - a very vocal one, but still a minority. It's up to the rest of us to make our moderate voices heard! (Not sure how you do that when by nature we don't have big mouths.)

growstuff Fri 19-Sept-25 16:15:05

Unfortunately, this poster isn't the only one who thinks like that.

Bea65 Fri 19-Sept-25 16:14:44

I think many laws are being broken ..who is accountable and is our Government responsible....

am feeling very anxious about these and other global events...thinking of racist tensions and am actually not wanting to socialise much... staying home more and more...am I alone

growstuff Fri 19-Sept-25 16:13:16

theworriedwell

How could you tell only one was British by looking at a photo?

I guess you're not actually expecting an answer to that question.

There is no way that anybody can tell whether another person is British from their appearance.

theworriedwell Fri 19-Sept-25 16:01:09

How could you tell only one was British by looking at a photo?

CariadAgain Fri 19-Sept-25 15:56:11

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theworriedwell Fri 19-Sept-25 15:53:28

nanna8

Why don’t you ignore international law then ? What are they going to do about it - bomb you ? Ridiculous. I always thought a navy was supposed to guard against foreign invasions. Clearly not in this case. Weak .

My father served in the Royal Navy. For part of his service he was on north Atlantic convoys when they were ordered to ignore the survivors if sunk ships. Leaving other to drown is against legal and moral behaviour. It haunted my father. If people want to go out and watch people drown let them do it and don't expect decent members of the navy to do it for you.

Freya5 Fri 19-Sept-25 15:35:09

eazybee

I would say quite simply we do not have enough military to operate. Then if the boats. were turned back to France we would find we had broken some sort of maritime agreement.

Actually maritime law is being broken, by these illegals.
In UK maritime law, entering by water without documents or permission is an offence, making an individual an "illegal entrant" under theImmigration Act 1971.Upon arrival,Border Force officersexamine individuals to determine their immigration status;those without permission to enter are not considered to have legally entered the UK until they complete this process and are granted leave to enter.They are not typically arrested but may be subject to examination, and depending on the circumstances and their asylum claim, they can face detention or removal from the country.

woodenspoon Fri 19-Sept-25 15:29:22

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woodenspoon Fri 19-Sept-25 15:28:35

MaizieD

LizzieDrip

Asylum seekers.

Human beings.

Perhaps we could make a bargain. If posters would stop calling these people 'illegals' , those of us who object to the term would stop calling those posters 'racists' hmm

Call us what you like. It’s a word that no longer has any meaning in the current climate. Besides which I couldn’t care less. The days of people hurling that word at UK citizens and them cowering before it are over.

MaizieD Fri 19-Sept-25 15:24:30

LizzieDrip

Asylum seekers.

Human beings.

Perhaps we could make a bargain. If posters would stop calling these people 'illegals' , those of us who object to the term would stop calling those posters 'racists' hmm

MaizieD Fri 19-Sept-25 15:20:35

midgey

When I saw the question my first thought was….Because we are an island!

My first thought was 'Because they can't walk on water..'

(I always associate the word 'military' with just the army.)

LizzieDrip Fri 19-Sept-25 15:15:08

Asylum seekers.

Human beings.

Sago Fri 19-Sept-25 15:13:27

NotSpaghetti

Please, please, please, could Gransnetters stop calling people "illegals:?
🙏

What would you like us to call the immigrants that illegally come into our country as they flee France a safe country?

woodenspoon Fri 19-Sept-25 14:52:48

NotSpaghetti

Please, please, please, could Gransnetters stop calling people "illegals:?
🙏

Why? They are illegal. They are forcing their way into this country. We don’t want them. As to the military, there’s more of them than in the armed forces. Another one in court today accused of sexual crimes in Portsmouth.

If I were to go to another country without paperwork would I be housed, fed, pandered to? Of course not.

The French don’t want them. They’re only too pleased to take our billions and wave them in their way.

GrannyGravy13 Fri 19-Sept-25 14:44:41

Thank you PaynesGrey

I m not usually this dense, I put it down to my builders 👷

Who are all Lithuanian, and extremely efficient and clean workers 👏👏👏

CariadAgain Fri 19-Sept-25 14:43:45

PaynesGrey

By doing what? Asking for leave to stay?

Read the UN Convention. I have already quoted the relevant text. It says:

*refugees should not be penalized for their illegal entry or stay. This recognizes that the seeking of asylum can require refugees to breach immigration rules.*

I'm puzzled at trying to (mis) use temporary "legal language" (which will probably change soon) to "normal language".

To me - it feels like one of my neighbours having found a handy few legalistic words to use as an excuse for breaking into my garden and expecting me to accept it (ie just because they've used the right form of words). Whereas we all know that it is my garden/part of my home and you can use whatever pretty/fashionable/etc/etc form of words you choose to try and justify the fact they didn't ask my permission before entering my garden. Reason being because it's mine end of and if anyone said "Tough - we're going to trespass in anyway" = try asking the bad neighbours I've had/got here and they'd tell you that I'm very clear it's mine and I impose few restrictions on myself as to what I do to get them back out again - because it is mine. Yep....there have been some blazing rows/solicitors letters/you name it = because I know it's mine and I expect that to be respected.

Why would I regard my country any differently - just because someone (on one side of the equation) has temporarily got some form of words that suits them to try and claim they can come in regardless? They and I both know - it's mine and it ain't theirs and they should be taking account of that.

I know it was pretty obvious that, as soon as the Internet became commonplace, that "Uncle Tom Cobbler and all" might well decide to break in and assume they could have what they liked from our country. So I've been anticipating this for decades.....but that does not mean I'm going to accept it....

A temporary "form of words" is just that....temporary....