Sunak Vows to Battle Migrant Boat Crossings Amid Ongoing Rescues
The battle of the boats rages on, with more migrants being pulled from the English Channel for the tenth consecutive day. Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister, is doubling down on efforts to deter these daring waterway escapades. Sunak, who’s put ‘stopping the boats’ at the heart of his government’s game plan, expressed frustration on Friday over the situation’s “unfair and unsustainable” nature. This comes as a staggering 19,000-plus crossings in 2023 so far have had officials working overtime to keep up.
Pictures snapped at Dover’s Port on the same day showcased the Border Force’s BF Typhoon gliding into harbor, carrying more people believed to be rescued during their Channel journey. Among the arrivals was a plaid-shirted young man, toting a shoeless child, while rocking a stylish red lifejacket and some snazzy Nike kicks.
Marching through August, over 4,000 folks have embarked on this month’s sea trek. This surge in migrations has also seen a record-breaking two-decade peak in asylum applications on British soil.
Sunak’s Vigilant Night-and-Day Battle
With a cup of determination and a dollop of sweat, Rishi Sunak assures us he’s burning the midnight oil to thwart these boat-bound pilgrimages. Yet, despite the hustle and bustle, the numbers are still higher compared to the pre-2021 days. The current Premier acknowledges that taming this tide won’t be a walk in the park. Nevertheless, he insists progress is being made, pointing to a 15% dip in crossings compared to last year. It’s the first time in this small-boat saga’s history, he beams, that such a thing has happened. He attributes this glimmer of hope to a concoction of strategies, including a merry deal with Albania that’s seen 3,000 migrants sent back.
Migrant Journeys Set Sail Despite Rising Waters
Despite these valiant efforts, the maritime mission continues unabated, with 208 brave souls squeezing onto four dinghies and venturing towards Britain just yesterday. The grand total for 2023 so far? A staggering 19,174 souls in 406 dinghies, marking an all-time high. Last year, the record was broken with 45,755 maritime migrants, a whopping 60% spike from the year prior. And, as for the asylum application queue, it’s not a party either, as 78,768 requests piled up by June 2023, a 19% increase from the previous year.
Bumpy Waters Ahead
But there’s no clear blue sky for Sunak as fellow Tories look to him to wrangle the immigration conundrum. Critics say there’s a need for more radical steps, especially since both legal and illegal migrations are stretching the nation’s seams thin. The population explosion and its pressure on housing and other essentials aren’t painting a serene picture either.
Migrants’ Delicate Dance with Rescuers
What’s curious is the delicate dance migrants are performing with rescuers. It turns out some are actually avoiding rescue by French forces just to make it to the UK. Once on British decks, they can then officially apply for asylum. This curious strategy, as described by former Border Force head Tony Smith, seems to follow a tried-and-true business model of recent times.
Where Do We Stand Now?
In the grand scheme of things, numbers are down 15% in small boat crossings from last year, amidst rising illegal migrations elsewhere in Europe. The UK is also staying on course to shrink the backlog of asylum claims.
The Bigger Picture: A Global Migration Jigsaw
Asylum seekers from Albania and Afghanistan top the charts in the UK, while the ever-growing group waiting for an initial asylum decision reaches a record high. Yet, the pace of the increase seems to be taking a breather, rising by less than 1% in the past three months. All the while, initial decisions on asylum applications soar, with a significant 71% being granted refugee status, humanitarian protection, or some sort of leave.
The cost? A whopping £3.97 billion in 2022-23, compared to a mere £500 million a decade ago. This hefty price tag includes the £6 million per day hotel stay for migrants.
Labour’s Lament
Not one to let this all slide, Stephen Kinnock, Labour’s Shadow Immigration Minister, finds this chaos a display of the Tories’ fumble. With such mismanagement, he doesn’t see the taxpayer’s hotel bill dropping anytime soon. It’s a record that’s painting quite a colorful, and costly, picture.