Badenoch: Labour Is Weak On Immigration

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has accused Andy Burnham of failing to be straight with the public over illegal immigration. Writing in the Daily Express, she argued that the government’s approach to small boat crossings is woefully inadequate.

Writing for the Daily Express, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch launched a scathing attack on the Prime Minister’s record on border control. She accused the administration of blowing its own trumpet about falling numbers while nearly twenty thousand people have crossed the English Channel this year alone. According to the report, ninety-five per cent of illegal immigrants crossing the Channel have been allowed to stay since Labour entered government.

The Reality of Channel Crossings

The criticism comes in the wake of fresh turmoil, including an incident where one hundred and twenty migrants were brought into Portsmouth following a record crossing attempt from near Cherbourg. The event sparked angry protests in Portsmouth and Dover, prompting fresh questions about border security and local impacts. Mrs Badenoch insisted that thuggery cannot stop small boat crossings, noting that the situation requires a serious plan and a serious deterrent.

Since Labour entered government, 95 per cent of illegal immigrants crossing the Channel have been allowed to stay. So, it’s no wonder the small boats keep coming or that we get the scenes we saw in Dover and Portsmouth at the weekend.

— Kemi Badenoch, Leader of the Conservative Party, Daily Express

• Nearly 20,000 illegal immigrants have crossed the Channel this year.
• The one-in-one-out deal with France has returned 1,700 people.
• 120 migrants were recently processed after arriving in Portsmouth.
• Conservative leader demands a serious deterrent and tougher border controls.

Mrs Badenoch also criticized the government’s reliance on the current agreement with France, pointing out its limited effectiveness against the sheer scale of arrivals. As pressure mounts on coastal towns and public frustration grows, the debate over how to secure Britain’s borders remains at the forefront of national politics.

Original source: Read the full report at Daily Express