1. Why on earth is 100 refugees per month crossing the Channel a “major incident”? That is a tiny number! The danger to the refugees is very worrying but ramping up the rhetoric just makes a mountain out of a molehill.
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2. Total number of asylum seekers reaching the UK is just over 30k and has been falling. Those crossing the channel must be so desperate they’d have entered by other means anyway, e.g. back of a lorry.
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3. I’m not aware of any published stats on mode of entry to the UK by asylum seekers but would certainly like to see them. Has there *really* been an increase? (h/t )
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4. Worth remembering that in 2017, UK was fifth in EU for receiving asylum claims, behind Germany, Italy, France and Greece.
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5. Most of those crossing the Channel are reportedly from Syria. In the last quarter, 142 Syrians applied for asylum. 129 were granted at first stage (rest probably won on appeal). That’s over 90% success rate. These people are genuine refugees.
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6. At the moment the UK can send asylum seekers arriving in the UK back to an EU country in which the person was fingerprinted. This includes those currently crossing the channel freemovement.org.uk/impact-brexit-
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7. This is called the “Dublin” system, after the original name of the applicable treaty. There are currently a few hundred of these Dublin removals per year.
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8. After Brexit, the UK is leaving the Common European Asylum System. The UK says it would like to re-create the Dublin arrangement but there seems to be zero chance of that happening, unless perhaps the UK pays a LOT into the EU budget.
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9. It is hugely hypocritical to be advocating withdrawal from the Common European Asylum System yet also complain that UK will not be able to send asylum seekers back to EU countries. It is only by remaining within CEAS that Dublin returns are possible.
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10. Finally, spare me the pretend concern of the UK Government for the safety of refugees.
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There's a particular psychology to the reaction to maritime crossings though - not just in the UK. Seems to touch a jingoistic nerve. I wonder if someone has studied this?
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I think you’re right. Touches something deep rooted. Haven’t seen anything on this specifically but interesting idea.
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