Calls for Labour to permit asylum claims in France following channel tragedy

author: FutureCar Staff    

Labour is facing calls to allow refugees to claim asylum from France following a tragic incident in which six men drowned while attempting to cross the English Channel in a small boat. The party has been urged to distance itself from the perceived "inhumanity" of the Conservative government's approach towards migrants. The casualties were among the 509 individuals who tried to make the perilous crossing in 10 boats on Saturday. French authorities have confirmed that children were among the more than 60 people on board when their vessel sank off the coast of Sangatte, resulting in the deaths of six Afghan men in their 30s.

This incident marks the worst tragedy in the English Channel since November 2021 when 27 individuals died after their flimsy boat capsized. It represents yet another setback for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's failing "stop the boats" initiative and has reignited calls for refugees to be able to seek asylum in the UK from France. Momentum, a left-wing campaign group, has criticized the Tory government's policy towards migrants and refugees, highlighting the need for Labour to offer a progressive alternative. They propose repealing the Illegal Migration and Nationality and Borders Bills, expanding safe routes for refugees, and ending the use of barges to house asylum-seekers.

Diane Abbott, former shadow home secretary, argues that allowing asylum claims to be processed in France would prevent people from drowning during their attempts to reach the UK. She emphasizes the importance of providing a safe and legal route for Afghans to seek asylum. Abbott criticizes Labour's migration policy for merely aspiring to do what the Tories would do, but more efficiently. She believes that the Labour Party needs to take a lead in how asylum-seekers are treated and address the dangerous rhetoric surrounding immigration.

Jan Doerfel, an immigration barrister, has long advocated for a change in the law that would allow individuals to lodge asylum applications in their own country or neighboring countries, rather than embarking on perilous journeys to the UK without a visa. He suggests that if the UK allowed individuals in France to submit asylum and human rights applications via email, it would reduce the need for illegal border crossings by boat.

MPs are calling for action against criminal people-smuggling gangs who profit from these journeys, while campaigners describe the deaths as an "appalling and preventable tragedy." Shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson argues that a better and fairer system is needed to address the backlog of asylum applications and reduce the reliance on temporary accommodation. She also highlights the decline in prosecutions of people-smugglers under the current government.

The incident occurred amidst a series of announcements on immigration by the government, which critics argue has descended into farce. The removal of dozens of asylum-seekers from the Bibby Stockholm barge due to the discovery of Legionella bacteria in the water supply has drawn criticism for the "startling incompetence" of the Home Office. Home Office figures reveal that over 100,000 people have made the journey since 2018, including more than 16,600 this year alone, with an estimated 1,600 arrivals between Friday and Sunday.

The Stand Up To Racism campaign group has organized an emergency vigil outside Downing Street to protest the incident and advocate for safe passage for refugees.

FutureCar Staff