New documents have revealed that the European Union has rejected Britain's attempts to strike a returns deal for small boat migrants. An EU official informed one of the UK's top security advisors that a deal on sending illegal migrants back to the block is off the cards for now.
Tough Deterrent Needed
Chancellor Rishi Sunak is desperate to strike a returns agreement as it would likely serve as a major deterrent to channel crossings. This is also a policy that Sir Keir Starmer has promised if Labour wins the next election.
Premiership at Stake
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has staked his premiership on a promise to stop the boats before Brits next take to the polls. However, with the warmer weather and calmer waters of summer, dinghy crossings are ramping up.
EU Unwilling to Share Burden
A returns agreement would require Britain to share the EU's burden of resettling hundreds of thousands of illegal migrants arriving in Greece and Italy. But for now, Brussels officials are steering away from any such deal.
Tragedy Strikes
Just recently, a small boat sank in the Channel, resulting in the loss of six lives. The overcrowded dinghy was carrying 65 people, with five taken to a hospital in Kent and three suffering from hypothermia. Two individuals are feared missing.
Record Number of Arrivals
More than 100,000 illegal migrants have now arrived on small boats, which is equivalent to the size of Rochdale. The Home Office's revelation of this milestone figure sparked anger from Tory MPs and ignited fresh calls for Rishi Sunak to quit the European Court of Human Rights.
Demand for Action
Despite repeated promises to stop the boats, a staggering 60,000 illegal migrants have reached British shores in the past 18 months alone. Tory deputy chair Lee Anderson has called for "drastic measures" to address the problem and emphasized that these migrants are simply illegal migrants, not genuine asylum seekers.
A UK government spokesperson has stated that they remain open to working with the EU on a returns deal to tackle illegal migration and crack down on exploitative gangs. Regular conversations are ongoing with European counterparts on migration and asylum issues, with an agreed commitment to cooperate on migration made in December 2022.
