This is just one unhinged draconian soundbite after another. Ending freedom to protest. Increasing prohibition on drugs, because that's worked so well. None of what she is suggesting is going to make Britain "safer" #CPC21
Jesus, the smirk when saying "ended free movement". Not sure I'd boast about "building back better" and recruiting "skilled migrants" right now to tbh @pritipatel
"Where there is a door there must be a doorkeeper". Give me strength. 98% of those crossing the channel seek asylum so the "majority are economic migrants" line is pure bs
You know why people can appeal? It's because the Home Office cocks up so much on first application. That's why so many appeals are successful, because they are legitimate claims.
If anyone is doing a drinking game for when Patel says "Economic migrants" good luck and God bless your liver
Worth remembering that the government's own impact assessment showed that Patel's new plan for immigration would benefit traffickers, have little no effect on asylum numbers and would increase discrimination. #CPC21
It is not illegal to seek asylum and an asylum seeker is protected against penalisation for their manner of entry by international law. Criminalising people for manner of entry is illegal, plain a simple.
Oh ffs. Asylum seekers/refugees are statistically the least likely group to be a terrorist. Not hard to see why when they have to cross borders and face more checks than other groups.
Oh brilliant, "the military". yeah because a gunship is really what is needed. By the way, again, pushbacks as proposed here are illegal and cost lives.
"Damage to the labour market". F**k me, they could at least be consistent. You can't claim that you need immigration in one breath and then claim they are destroying the labour market
Of course she goes off one about deportations. All of this is bollock though. Her plans aren't just illegal, they actually harm the UK, particularly on the global stage. This isn't a speech. It's a batshit crazy rant.
Okay, quick fact check: Smuggler and traffickers are different things, minor but kind of important. By making it harder to seek asylum you actually force people into the hands of traffickers, who often don't say where they are taking people.
Criminalising asylum seekers for their manner of entry will likewise play to traffickers, because they have an added threat, turning people into authorities, to use to control their victims.
As the government's own impact study showed, closing routes just forces people to make longer and more dangerous ones, again with the need for gangs to facilitate them, expect the gangs charge more for doing so.
This is where the difference between smugglers and traffickers plays a part. Smugglers are transactional, taking payment for facilitating crossings. As prices go up it makes it unaffordable, which forces people to use traffickers, who exploit people after the journey.
As for pusbacks, not only do they violate multiple international laws, crossing into another countries waters could constitute an act of war. They are unrealistic, don't work, and, as seen elsewhere, cost lives when attempted.
Yeah, I'm sure Patel's #CPC21 speech went down well with her base, but nothing she said will do anything other than put more lives at risk. It's a tiny fraction of asylum seekers who cross the channel in the grand scheme, but those who do may have good reason.
Last year France was found guilty of violating refugee rights, and asylum seekers and NGO personnel are routinely attacked by police there. Similar issues occur across Europe. You can't decide that somewhere is safe for someone else.
That's before the not insubstantial matter that you can't just drop someone off in a country which hasn't accepted them, and as France et al have already said no you can't just "send people back".
The serious irony of @pritipatel's #CPC21 speech is that despite her whole "I support law and order" spiel, she is the one advocating for massive and fundamental breaches of multiple laws, in a manner which destroys lives.
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
