English Channel: Illegal Small Boat Crossings

Lee Anderson, an MP from the Reform party, asked the Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, what steps she is taking to tackle illegal crossings of the English Channel in small boats. The Home Secretary acknowledged the seriousness of a recent incident in Southport and expressed her support for the police and emergency services. She stated that small boat crossings undermine security and put lives at risk, as criminal gangs are profiting from this trade in human lives. To address this, the government is establishing a new border security command with additional cross-border police and new counter-terror powers. In response, Lee Anderson noted that six boats arrived on Saturday, and there were reports of four more on the same day, with over 500 illegal migrants being escorted into UK waters by the French authorities. He asked the Home Secretary if it is time to stop paying the French any more money until they stop being complicit in this "evil trade." The Home Secretary acknowledged the dangers of these boat crossings, stating that another woman died in the Channel the previous day. She said that criminal gangs are deliberately cramming boats to maximize their profits, and this has been going on for too long. The Home Secretary emphasized the need to work not only with the French police but also with police forces and organizations across Europe and beyond to pursue the gangs and prevent the boats from leaving the French coast in the first place. Chris Murray, an MP from the Labour party, noted that borders have two sides and that the best way to secure a border is to have a constructive relationship with the country it is shared with. He asked what steps the Home Secretary will take to reach out to France and Belgium to secure the border. The Home Secretary agreed with Chris Murray's point and stated that they have immediately strengthened the UK's presence in Europol and in the operational taskforces that go after the gangs. She said they are already in touch with leaders in France, Italy, and across Europe to strengthen cooperation, as the gangs are getting away with this vile trade, and lives are being put at risk as a result. Tom Tugendhat, an MP from the Conservative party, expressed his support for the Home Secretary and Merseyside police regarding the incident in Southport. He then asked the Home Secretary if she accepts that under any deal she does, some of those sent to the United Kingdom from the European Union could harbor extremist ideologies or pose a security threat. He asked if she will commit to ensuring strong safeguards, including a right of refusal on a case-by-case basis, to stop anyone who could put Britain's security at risk from entering the country. The Home Secretary responded that there will always need to be proper safeguards on security and proper security checks on those who come to the country. However, she stated that the problem with the boat crossings is that they undermine border security, as there are no checks on dangerous boat crossings, which put lives at risk and allow criminal gangs to choose who to put into the boats. The Home Secretary reiterated the need for stronger border security, which is why the government is setting up a new border security command and counter-terror powers in new legislation. She also acknowledged that returns, such as of failed asylum seekers, have dropped substantially since the last Labour government and stated that they want to increase returns.