1/ Some quick thoughts on the Priti Patel proposals. First, remember around 3/4 refugees reaching the UK are genuine refugees according to Home Office stats and the number of claims fell last year. Real problem is delay in Home Office decision making:
2/ Patel’s plans look like a tired rehash of the New Labour years. They are certainly not new. ‘One stop’ appeals were introduced by Immigration and Asylum Act 1999. My first job was at Oakington ‘reception’ centre in 2000...
3/ Judges are already instructed to doubt claims of asylum seekers travelling through safe countries by section 8 of the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants etc) Act 2004...
4/ We cannot remove asylum seekers to a third country without that country’s consent and I assume she’s not proposing we send refugees back to be persecuted in their country of origin because of their means of travel here.
5/ The stuff on safe routes is welcome but what would be more welcome is if she actually reopened the resettlement scheme she closed down.
6/ Basically it looks like a return to the performative law making of New Labour. But this time the numbers are lower, far more are recognised as genuine refugees and the UK has jettisoned the idea of co-operating with EU neighbours, making returns to safe countries impossible.
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