Brexit Border Control Failure: Governments ‘Wilfully Failed’ Despite New Powers

Brexit granted the UK the power to control its borders, yet successive governments have “wilfully failed to use it,” according to a scathing analysis by Migration Watch. This report, marking ten years since the Leave vote, labels the post-Brexit era an “unmitigated failure” on immigration policy.

Despite the end of free movement for EU nationals on December 31, 2020, net migration soared to 745,000 in 2022. This stark figure highlights a critical oversight in the UK’s approach to its newfound sovereignty, raising serious questions about who truly benefits from the current system.

The Post-Brexit Immigration System’s Flaws Exposed

The Migration Watch report critically examines the post-Brexit immigration system, designed in 2021, revealing its fundamental weaknesses. It was implemented “without a cap, without a resident labour market test, and with a reduced skill threshold,” directly undermining the spirit of Brexit.

Governments are heavily criticised for not imposing a “binding numerical cap on total immigration.” This absence effectively hands control over migration levels to “employers and educational institutions,” who then dictate the demand for sponsored visas, rather than the democratically elected government.

“The Wishes of the Majority Were Ignored”

Brexit delivered what the British public had demanded for years: the power to control our borders. Since 2016, successive governments have wilfully failed to use it. Although free movement ended, immigration surged because the post-Brexit points-based system was deliberately loosened at the behest of employers, universities, migrant rights groups and open-border zealots. The wishes of the majority were ignored.

— Alp Mehmet, Chairman of Migration Watch

Alp Mehmet’s statement lays bare the profound disappointment felt by many who voted to leave the EU specifically to regain control over borders. He argues that the deliberate loosening of the points-based system, influenced by various interest groups, directly contravened the democratic mandate of the Brexit vote.

• Net migration reached 745,000 in 2022, despite the end of EU free movement.
• The post-Brexit immigration system was designed without a cap or resident labour market test.
• Control over migration levels has been ceded to employers and educational institutions.
• Successive governments have “wilfully failed” to use the powers gained from Brexit.
• A binding numerical cap on total immigration is deemed “absolutely necessary” to respect democratic sovereignty.

What This Means for Britain

This “unmitigated failure” on immigration translates directly into real-life consequences for working families across Britain. Increased pressure on public services, from NHS waiting lists to school places, becomes an unavoidable reality when migration levels surge unchecked. Your access to essential services is directly impacted by these policy failures.

Economically, the absence of a binding cap means a continued reliance on overseas recruitment, potentially suppressing wages for British workers and distorting the labour market. This impacts the cost of living and the availability of stable, well-paying jobs for our own citizens.

Politically, this represents a profound betrayal of the Brexit promise. The democratic principle of sovereignty, central to the Leave vote, has been undermined by governments choosing not to exercise the powers they fought to reclaim. This pattern of behaviour erodes trust in our political establishment.

If this continues, Britain risks losing the very control it voted for, sacrificing its national interest for the demands of special interest groups. It is imperative that every British voter understands the true cost of this failure and demands accountability NOW.

Share if you believe Britain deserves better than this betrayal of the Brexit promise. Demand answers from your MP. This must be seen by every British voter.

Source: Daily Express | Breaking Brexit News