Uk Border Force Making Matters Worse In Migrant Channel

[Gromit]

Says independent report

// The report, commissioned by Home Secretary Priti Patel, described the overall approach as "ineffective and possibly counter-productive".
Author Alex Downer, former leader of Australia's Liberal Party, criticised "a cycle of crisis management".

In relation to the small boats crisis, the review found the Border Force Maritime command had been "drawn into a challenge that it is ill-equipped to deal with and yet all consuming". //

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-62244679

Patel is useless and the first job of the new Conservative leader should be to sack her immediately.

[youngmafbog]

//Author Alex Downer, former leader of Australia's Liberal Party//

Yeah, ok.

[Gromit]

Ymb,
You doubting his independence?
The Government chose him.

// Alexander John Gosse Downer AC (born 9 September 1951) is an Australian former politician and diplomat who was leader of the Liberal Party from 1994 to 1995, Minister for Foreign Affairs from 1996 to 2007, and High Commissioner to the United Kingdom from 2014 to 2018.
When the Howard Government came to power in 1996, Downer was made Minister for Foreign Affairs. He served until the government's defeat in 2007, making him the longest-serving foreign minister in Australian history. Downer left politics in 2008, and was subsequently named Special Adviser to the UN Secretary-General on Cyprus. He held that post until 2014, when he was appointed High Commissioner to the United Kingdom by the Abbott Government. //

[bobbinwales]

Yes its ineffective and we'er making things worse by rescuing (sorry INTERCEPTING) them boats... but I wander whats the solution in your view gromit as when anything different is tried like the Rwanda idea to discourage crossings theres howls of protests.

[Redhelen72]

BF is totally useless at all aspects of their job.
They continually take money from people entering the UK and use ignorance as a defence both their own and the passenger!

[Khandro]

Redhelen; Spot on: under the guise of 'saving lives' these people are aiding the work of the people smugglers. Border Force is not fit for purpose & their personnel should all be fired, starting at the top & then see how quickly their policy changes.

I don't think it is fair to blame everything on Priti Patel, Boris should have set a more robust lead, - did he ever even mention illegal immigration?

[naomi24]

//did he ever even mention illegal immigration? //

Yes.

https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/pm-speech-on-action-to-tackle-illegal-migration-14-april-2022

With one hand tied behind the back by unnamed, unseen, unelected, foreign judges, trying to do something positive about people coming here by boat illegally is a thankless task.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/jun/14/european-court-humam-right-makes-11th-hour-intervention-in-rwanda-asylum-seeker-plan

[douglas9401]

I'm not sure how you can fire people, starting at the top then go on not to blame the person at the top, Patel, Khandro.

[Gromit]

I notice they have stopped publishing figures for the number of people detained so far.
It worked for covid cases. They stopped testing and counting, and then acted as though the problem had gone away.

[Gromit]

The Times January 20 2022
// The government is planning to stop disclosing daily figures on how many migrants cross the Channel amid forecasts of another record year for the route //

//
https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/news/2020/05/11/arrivals-via-deadly-and-illegal...

// At least 11,694 people have crossed illegally in around 349 boats since the start of this year (up to 21 June 2022) – just over double the 5,249 that were reported during the same period in 2021. 28,526 were reported crossing during all of 2021 //

The recent figures should be deeply embarrassing to the Government and Home Secretary. Especially when they were elected on being tough on immigration.
But they just bluff it out. Hopefully the new leader will appoint someone more competent than Patel

[THECORBYLOON]

They are releasing daily figures each week still.

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/migrants-detected-crossing-the-english-channel-in-small-boats-weekly-data

[bobbinwales]

The figures are embarrassing ... but the only 'solution' anyone offers is to make it easier for them to come

[Gromit]

// They are releasing daily figures each week still //

So how many have come so far in 2022 ?

[bobbinwales]

Your good at criticizing Gromit but have you got any suggestions as to what should be done (apart from sack Pritty Patel which gets us no further forward if noone else as any idea's).
And if you claim there are no figures how do you know whether things is getting better or worse

[Gromit]

The Government are ashamed to published the figures.
But they are being counted.

// At least 11,694 people have crossed illegally in around 349 boats since the start of this year (up to 21 June 2022) //

[bobbinwales]

very good. Shame you have no ideas to share on what to do

[Gromit]

The numbers are double what they were at the same time last year.

[bobbinwales]

Shame you have no ideas to share on what to do

[Khandro]

douglas; //I'm not sure how you can fire people, starting at the top then go on not to blame the person at the top, Patel, Khandro.//

I don't think hiring & firing is part of her remit is it, if it was she'd have sacked a lot of civil servants, do you remember what she said of those in her her department? she said they were an effing useless lot!

[Old_Geezer]

Well, when the government as a whole get around to doing whatever needs doing, such as freeing themselves from foreign courts and opting out of anything that prevents action, maybe something productive can be put into place.

(Maybe there needs to be a secure drop off point for illegals at the Channel Tunnel so they can be returned almost immediately.)

[Gromit]

When Amber Rudd was Home Secretary there were
299 illegal channel crossings.

And Priti Patel as Home Secretary there have been 52,586 illegal channel crossings.