In its election manifesto, Labour claimed to have a ‘practical plan’ ready and waiting to tackle the small boats crisis. So where is it?
More than 4,000 illegal migrants have crossed the Channel since this Government came to power, bringing the year’s running total to 17,639, with no sign of abating.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper’s much-vaunted new Border Security Command is no nearer becoming a reality, not least because no credible candidate will accept the poisoned chalice of heading an organisation so doomed to failure.
And her solution to ending the backlog of asylum claims appears to be giving up to 90,000 migrants the automatic right to remain here, sending out the message to would-be Channel migrants that if they can reach the UK they are here to stay.
Meanwhile, she has scrapped the Rwanda scheme without having any alternative deterrent. Not so much a practical plan as an abject surrender of our borders.
More than 4,000 migrants have crossed the Channel since this Government came to power
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper ’s much-vaunted new Border Security Command is no nearer becoming a reality, not least no candidate will accept the poisoned chalice
It is this insouciance towards uncontrolled mass migration that has spread the anger and disaffection on which extremism feeds.
Many of the areas experiencing upheaval voted for Brexit in the belief it would enable Britain to take back control. Instead, they have seen legal and illegal migration spiral.
Apart from the severe pressure this places on housing and public services, many feel their communities are changing in character and culture without any consultation.
This can’t excuse the appalling disorder we have seen in the past nine days, but it is a contributing factor. Until Ms Cooper and Sir Keir Starmer understand this and seek to get a grip on migration numbers, resentment will continue to simmer.
They were critical enough of Tory failings while in opposition. It’s their problem now.
Speak out on all hate
The Prime Minister has rightly given assurances to Muslim communities that he will take ‘every step possible’ to keep them safe. But they are not the only minority that needs protection.
British Jews suffered record levels of anti-Semitic incidents in the first half of 2024, with offences ranging from verbal abuse to vandalism and assault.
Sir Keir Starmer has rightly given assurances to Muslim communities that he will take ‘every step possible’ to keep them safe, but he must be similarly vocal about attacks on Jews and synagogues
Shockingly, more than 250 of the nearly 2,000 incidents were directed against schoolchildren, students and university academics, many referencing Hamas and the October 7 massacre.
Sir Keir claims to have purged Labour of the vile anti-Semitism it harboured under Jeremy Corbyn. He must prove it by being as vocal about attacks on Jews and synagogues as on Muslims and mosques.
The best of British
While the rioters bringing fear and chaos to our streets sadly represent the worst of Britain, our lion-hearted Olympians epitomise the very best.
Aged between 16 and 51 and drawn from across the social, economic and ethnic spectrum, their dedication, skill and courage have been truly inspiring.
On the track and the water, in the pool and the gymnastics arena, at the skatepark and the velodrome, on horseback and mountain bike they have excelled themselves.
Our youngest medallist, 16-year-old Sky Brown, showed astonishing grit in winning a skateboarding bronze despite having dislocated her shoulder.
Asked whether she considered pulling out because of the pain, she said it hadn’t crossed her mind. ‘When you fall, you’ve just got to get back up again,’ she said. A lesson for sport and for life.
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