Party told to distinguish itself from the Tories’ ‘inhumanity’
A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, onboard the Ramsgate Lifeboat (top) and the Dover Lifeboat (bottom) following a small boat incident in the Channel, August 10, 2023
LABOUR was urged today to allow refugees to claim asylum from France after at least six men drowned trying to cross the English Channel in a small boat.
The party was told to distinguish itself from the Tories’ “inhumanity” towards migrants after it emerged the casualties were among 509 people who attempted the perilous crossing in 10 boats on Saturday.
French authorities said children were among more than 60 on board when their vessel sank in worsening conditions off the coast of Sangatte, killing six Afghan men in their 30s.
The worst Channel tragedy since 27 died when their flimsy vessel capsized in November 2021 marked yet another setback for PM Rishi Sunak’s failing “stop the boats” pledges, and sparked fresh calls for refugees to be able to claim asylum here from France.
A Momentum spokesman said: “The appalling deaths in the Channel today demonstrate the inhumanity of the Tory government’s policy towards migrants and refugees.
“Labour must offer a progressive alternative, by committing to repeal the Illegal Migration and Nationality and Borders Bills, expand safe routes for refugees, and end the barbaric use of barges to house asylum-seekers.”
Former shadow home secretary Diane Abbott told the Morning Star: “It’s a simple way to stop people drowning in the boats — to allow their asylum claims to be processed in France.
“If it were possible to process asylum claims in France, the numbers of migrant boats would plummet.
“We are supposed to have a safe and legal route for Afghans to claim asylum.”
Criticising Labour migration policy for aspiring only to “doing most of what the Tories would do, but more efficiently,” she added: “We need to put a stop to some of the poisonous rhetoric about immigration and the Labour Party needs to offer a lead on how we treat asylum-seekers because the danger is the Labour Party sounds too much like what the Tories are saying — they haven’t even said they would not use barges.”
Immigration barrister Jan Doerfel has long advocated for a change in the law so individuals can lodge asylum applications in their country and from neighbouring countries rather than having to make the perilous journey to the UK without a visa.
He told this newspaper: “Having to flee without a visa means that refugees have to pay multiple times of what they would usually have to pay for a journey, it puts them at risk and forces them to choose dangerous journeys as there is currently no lawful route for individual asylum-seekers.
“If the UK allowed individuals currently in France to lodge asylum applications and human rights applications (eg for family reunions) by email then this would reduce the need and incentive for illegal border crossings by boat.”
MPs have called for action against criminal people-smuggling gangs profiting from the journeys while campaigners have described the deaths as an “appalling and preventable tragedy.”
Shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson said a “better, fairer system” is needed to tackle the backlog of asylum applications and cut the need for temporary accommodation.
She also said that prosecutions of people-smugglers are falling under the current government.
The tragedy came after ministers were accused of allowing their “small boats week” of linked announcements on immigration to descend into farce following the removal of dozens of asylum-seekers from the Bibby Stockholm barge.
Senior Conservative backbencher David Davis slammed the “startling incompetence” of the Home Office after all 39 people on board the 500-capacity vessel were disembarked due to the discovery of Legionella bacteria in the water supply.
Home Office figures state more than 100,000 people have now made the journey since 2018 — including more than 16,600 so far this year and an estimated over 1,600 from Friday to Sunday.
The Stand Up To Racism campaign group has called an emergency vigil outside Downing Street at 6pm on Monday under the banner: “Don’t let them drown. Safe passage now. Refugees welcome.”
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