Channel Crossings Amidst Cleverly’s ‘Stop the Boats’ Pledge
In the first instance of migrants attempting to cross the Channel since James Cleverly assumed the role of Home Secretary, Border Force intercepted a dinghy carrying over 40 people.
The group, mostly male and dressed in warm clothing, battled the choppy waves, underscoring the persistent challenge of irregular migration.
Government’s Struggle to ‘Stop the Boats’
Despite Cleverly’s reiterated pledge to ‘stop the boats’ after succeeding Suella Braverman, the interception of migrants provides tangible evidence of the distance the government has yet to cover in achieving this ambitious goal.
The new Home Secretary faces a complex situation, amplified by the Supreme Court’s recent ruling against the government’s Rwanda deportation scheme.
Legal Setback: Supreme Court Rejects Rwanda Deportation Plan
The government’s plan to start deportation flights to Rwanda suffered a major setback as the Supreme Court declared the scheme illegal.
This ruling, delivered in a momentous judgment, prompted Prime Minister Boris Johnson to respond with a new strategy. Johnson vowed to end the political and legal ‘merry-go-round’ by proposing a new treaty with Rwanda and emergency legislation allowing Parliament to declare the country safe for asylum seekers.
Tensions within the Government: Cleverly’s Response and Sunak’s Warning
James Cleverly, in a tetchy interview, neither confirmed nor denied claims that he referred to the Rwanda policy as ‘bats***.’ This comes as tensions within the government escalate, with Robert Jenrick warning that the government ‘couldn’t afford to fail’ in its deportation flights to Rwanda plan.
Immigration Minister Rishi Sunak emphasized the critical nature of the initiative for national security and border protection.
Challenges and Controversies: Cleverly Faces Tough Questions
The arrival of migrants on the Kent coast coincides with Cleverly facing questions about the defeat in the Supreme Court. The Home Secretary, in a round of interviews, expressed the government’s determination to initiate removal flights to Rwanda before the next election.
However, questions linger about potential challenges from the Tory right and the need for emergency legislation to deem Rwanda a ‘safe’ country.
Rising Numbers of Lone Child Asylum Seekers
Amidst the broader immigration challenges, new figures reveal a significant rise in the number of lone child asylum seekers in England.
The statistics indicate a nearly one-third increase in unaccompanied child asylum seekers over the past year. Local authorities grapple with the legal duty to provide accommodation for these individuals, highlighting the strain on the current care system.
These events unfold against a backdrop of broader debates, including the potential disregard for human rights norms, the government’s negotiation of a new treaty with Rwanda, and the urgency to address challenges in the care system for unaccompanied child asylum seekers.
