Migrants Continuing To Cross Channel.

When the Rwanda plan was announced it was met with both criticism and acclaim. For those supporting the plan, it was the answer to migrants crossing the channel. For those not supporting it was an inhumane nightmare.

Current Home Secretary Priti Patel said the plan would work if given the chance. However, the first plane carrying migrants to fly to Rwanda stayed grounded. The European Court of Human Rights intervened hence the aircraft didn't fly. However, Patel remains committed to the plan as do leadership hopefuls Liz truss and Rishi Sunak.

Home Secretary Priti Patel agreed to the plan with Rwanda's government. Accommodation is waiting for any migrants in the country probably paid for by the UK government. However, with no planes flying from the UK the accommodation remains empty.

With 3,683 migrants crossing the channel this year Patel has signed yet another deal with the French. More money to help with beach patrols and surveillance on the French side. Yet more money from Britain while the French turn the other way and let these unfortunates come. It has to be mentioned these people pay criminal gangs a fortune to sail across the channel in unseaworthy boats. The UK picks them up from the channel and none of them are documented or identified. Many are genuine people but many could be criminals, terrorists, etc, and pose a risk to the UK. Hotels like the Metropole in Blackpool are paid thousands to house them. Many can and do abscond into the community never to be seen again.

A new law has been announced by the government to jail illegal migrants for 4 years. Presumably, they will be deported and sent back from whence they originated. As many of these often have no documents or false identification how can they know where to send them? The UK government, however, based on their ethnic makeup will have a good idea of where to send them. At least one would hope so but given the incompetence of the government, one does wonder.

One has to have compassion for these unfortunate folk risking everything. However, the UK has limited land and resources to accommodate hoards of incomers. As much as we may wish to help this continuous stream of humanity we have to be mindful of our limits too.

Those migrants not wishing to stay in France or other European nations are not stupid. They see the UK as the promised land with benefits, NHS, etc, and who can blame them? The UK rightly has a reputation for being a fair and tolerant nation. However, it can also lead to the belief that the UK is a soft touch and will welcome all comers. I am no supporter of this government but the Rwanda plan is understandable. The African nation given its history is a dubious place to send people admittedly. That said, some plan has to work for the cohesiveness of the UK and for the migrants. If the Rwanda plan together with the 4-year jail sentence is given the chance it might put off migrants from crossing the channel. The Rwanda plan is based on the Australian plan where migrants coming to Australia were sent to Papua New Guinea. In Australia's case, it worked, migrants stopped coming once Australia adopted this policy.

Labour, SNP, Lib-Dems, etc, as opposition parties challenged the legality of the Rwanda plan. That's fair enough, however, if Sir Keir becomes Prime Minister Labour will be faced with the same migrant problem. Those on the left of the party will push for allowing all migrants to come in unfettered. Sir Keir, however, a Labour right-winger will know this is not really feasible. Labour will try and push for the first country that migrants land in to look after them. Of course, anything that a future Sir Keir administration will do in government is speculation. Sir Keir first has to win the next general election and earn the keys to 10 Downing Street.