Refugees making dangerous Channel journeys as Tories fail to offer safe routes
Ministers have been blasted over "woefully inadequate" efforts to stop the boats after failing to deliver more safe routes as they promised.
Campaigners accused the Government of overlooking the "urgent need" for legal ways people fleeing war or persecution can reach the UK. They say that if Rishi Sunak is serious about stopping dangerous Channel crossings, he must provide alternative ways of applying for asylum. Critics argue refugees from most parts of the world have no safe way of reaching Britain - meaning more make the dangerous journey.
Although the Government has pledged to announce new safe and legal routes, a report released today failed to announce any. A new Home Office document said plans for a cap on the number of asylum seekers will be put before MPs by the summer - after which new routes will be put forward.
Refugee Council chief executive Enver Solomon said: "The Government's plans are woefully inadequate with no meaningful commitment to expand safe routes for refugees from war-torn countries such as Sudan and Syria, and those fleeing repressive regimes in countries such as Iran.
"By simply focusing on describing the existing limited schemes, the Government has completely overlooked the urgent need to reduce dangerous Channel crossings by providing safe passage to our shores."
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He said that if ministers are "serious" in their "stop the boats" pledge, they need to "significantly" increase safe routes, rather than pushing ahead with the "unlawful, costly and ineffective Rwanda plan".
And Olivia Field, director of policy and advocacy for the British Red Cross, said safe routes were "essential if we truly want to stop people having to take dangerous journeys to the UK". She said these aren't open to the "vast majority" of men, women and children seeking sanctuary.
Asked why no new safe and legal routes had been announced in the report, the Prime Minister's official spokesman told reporters the UK had "significant numbers of current routes already" but this would be kept "under review". The latest update was released as a requirement of the controversial Illegal Migration Act, which bars people who arrive illegally from claiming asylum.
In a written statement to Parliament, Home Secretary James Cleverly said the UK had a "proud history of providing protection for the most vulnerable". He highlighted resettlement schemes for people from Hong Kong, Syria, Afghanistan and Ukraine, as well as routes available to relatives of refugees.
He insisted the report "reaffirms the Government's commitment to providing safe and legal routes for those most in need" despite no plans for new safe and legal routes being announced. "As we get control on numbers, we will keep under review whether we are able to do more to support vulnerable refugees and whether we need to consider new safe and legal routes," he added.
Between 2015 to September 2023, Home Office figures show 555,630 people were offered safe and legal routes to the UK. Of these 184,700 were Hong Kong British nationals, 21,673 from Afghanistan and 271,389 from Ukraine.
A further 28,780 came via the UN High Commissioner for Refugees resettlement scheme, and 49,088 through family reunion schemes. Sacked Home Secretary Suella Braverman previously struggled to explain the legal routes which asylum seekers fleeing war and persecution could use to come to the UK.
When questioned by the Commons Home Affairs Committee in November 2022, she conceded many asylum seekers would have to travel to the UK in order to submit a claim, prompting MPs to warn there was a shortage of legal routes available.
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