// They were not a serious attempt to deter immigration, they were an attempt to be seen to be doing something //
Governments try to be "seen" to be doing things?
Oh, hang on, yes ...
Like the ludicrous hundreds of millions of pounds wasted on making it illegal to drive while using a mobile phone, despite the fact that ...
1. It was already illegal to drive without due care and attention (for example, while using a mobile phone)
2. They didn't make it illegal to do other things that require you to take your attention, and your eyes, off the road, like ... lighting a cigarette, picking up a hot coffee, reaching over to the passenger glove box, tuning the radio, changing a CD, passing something to a child in the back, programming a sat nav, etc, etc, etc.
Being seen to be doing stuff, which is actually pointless?
The previous Government wrote the book on that one!