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Another 'Brexit win'? People smuggler convicted in France found by BBC living in UK and seeking asylum

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MaizieD Fri 03-Jul-26 12:34:34

I am a bit surprised that this story from a couple of days ago hasn't been flagged up here on N & P.

It is the result of a BBC investigation, something I find quite impressive in view of much popular condemnation of the BBC.

The BBC investigation found that the people smuggler was living in the UK and had actually applied for asylum.. which is quite startling in itself, but a key point was made in the BBC article:

Since Brexit, the UK no longer has a data-sharing agreement with many countries in the EU, making it more difficult to check criminal and immigration records of asylum seekers, according to Lucy Moreton of the Immigration Services Union.

"If we were able to share databases, even if just with our nearest neighbours, with Germany, with Belgium, with Holland and France, say - then, yes, we'd know that they had a conviction for people smuggling," she said.

Asylum seekers are fingerprinted on arrival in the UK and checked against UK police databases, but these would not necessarily show a conviction from another country.

Since Brexit... another win for Leave voters, the inability of the UK to obtain information of convictions in EU countries? hmm

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clye9zn0y1ro?

I note that on Bluesky it has been pointed out that The Times has run with this story, with the headline "Brexit lets people smugglers move to UK",' It was in the print version though it is no longer available on their web page.

bsky.app/profile/13sarahmurphy.bsky.social/post/3mppyqkisn22j

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LemonJam Mon 06-Jul-26 16:19:30

I entirely agree and hope for that rational outcome Dickens.

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Dickens Mon 06-Jul-26 18:31:07

Re-joining would require the approval and acceptance of the member states.

I don't think, at the moment, there would necessarily be agreement from all of them. Having proved we are not 'team players' I think the scepticism would be valid.

The anti-EU stance of Johnson's government, the way it blamed the EU for treating us as the third country which it was compelled to do, attempting to give the impression we were being punished for leaving - a baton picked up by the RW media - this will stay long in the memory of member states and the European Parliament.

And even recently, Starmer attempting to create a civilised and co-operative relationship with the EU was seen by the same media as a betrayal of the BREXIT vote, and rumbled on about 'secretly' attempting a re-join.

The 'vibes' are just not right at this time.

That's why I think we should 'move on' - for now. Until it's no longer up to us.

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Primrose53 Sun 12-Jul-26 18:27:15

Beats me how these people whose first language is not English can get round the officials and paperwork to sort themselves out with council properties.

In the news today that this people smuggler has been renting a council flat in Leicester for 2 years yet he owns a £400k property in the county.

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