Conservative MPs are urging ministers to send people travelling to the UK by small boats to offshore centres as far away as the Falkland Islands as concern grows that the party is losing support among red wall voters.
Priti Patel, the home secretary, should also be willing to automatically return migrants to France if the party is to fulfil the Brexit promise of taking control of the UK’s borders, MPs said.
The increasingly extreme demands come amid deepening alarm in Downing Street and the Conservative party over the rising number of people risking their lives by making the journey in winter. Officials believe at least 10 people have died in the past few weeks while trying to make the crossing across one of the world’s busiest shipping channels. Twice in the past fortnight, more than 1,000 have crossed in a single day.
Labour yesterday accused Patel of “comprehensively failing” to curb the growing numbers making the dangerous journey across the Channel.
Downing Street’s concerns over the Channel crossings spilled into the public domain on Friday when Boris Johnson announced a review of the government’s small boats policies.
This story is from the November 22, 2021 edition of The Guardian.
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This story is from the November 22, 2021 edition of The Guardian.
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