Thank you to everyone who has got in touch about tackling illegal migration across the Channel.
I know how much concern there is about illegal migration in North Warwickshire and Bedworth. This is not an easy problem to solve – despite what some politicians with no track record in government might claim – but we have seen important progress recently, with a huge 44% reduction in the number of migrants arriving in small boats this year.
That means the number of people arriving in small boats is now at the lowest level it has been for six years, which is a huge achievement.
The huge decrease reflects the hard work that has been done to disrupt the criminal smuggling gangs, including restrictions on the supply of boats, a more than 50% increase in arrests, and a deal with the French that has seen thousands of illegal crossings thwarted. That is the difference a serious plan – instead of foolish gimmicks like the failed £700 million Rwanda scheme – can make.
Other positive progress includes:
- We have cut the number of asylum hotels from their peak of 400 to less than 160 today, with 40 further closures having taken place since April this year. This year’s closures alone have saved the taxpayer £224 million. There are no asylum seeker hotels in North Warwickshire and Bedworth, and the government is committed to having closed all asylum hotels across the country by the next election.
- Asylum seekers are being moved out of communities and into out-of-town military sites, which are cheaper to run and more appropriate. In total, we have saved the taxpayer more than £1.24 billion in asylum accommodation costs since the 2024 general election.
- More than 70,000 migrants with no right to remain in the UK have been removed since the last election, with deportations at an eight year high. This includes the removal of 10,000 foreign criminals – an increase of 36% compared to the same period before the last election.
- Through a serious and sustained programme of improvement at the Home Office we have cut the backlog of asylum seekers waiting for a decision on their claim from a peak of 175,000 pending cases in 2023 to just 40,000 today, enabling quicker decisions and the speedier removal of those without a claim.
At the same time, the government has been pushing ahead with the biggest changes to the asylum system in decades, so we can secure our borders, deter illegal crossings, and ensure those with no legitimate asylum claim can be swiftly removed. That includes:
- Asylum status in the UK will no longer be permanent, with those with a legitimate claim to sanctuary granted a temporary status that must be reviewed every 30 months. Those whose home country is deemed safe at the point of review must return to that country, or face removal. These new measures have already come into force.
- The right to stay in Britain will be changed from automatic to being dependent on contribution. Refugees must be resident in the UK for 20 years before they can apply for permanent settlement, the highest level in Europe. Only those who can prove they are working, studying, and contributing will earn the right to settle more quickly.
- Human rights laws will be overhauled to ensure they are not being used to exploit the system. The public interest will be given greater weight in the cases of foreign offenders, and those making human rights claims will have to make a single consolidated claim, to prevent the lodging of multiple further claims when the first is unsuccessful.
- Asylum accommodation rules will be tightened, so that valuable items like cars and e-bikes can be seized to contribute to costs.
- Countries that block the UK from deporting foreign criminals and failed asylum seekers will face visa penalties.
Securing our borders is an important priority for me as an MP, so I am really pleased to see that we are making really good progress on restoring order and control. Please know that as your MP I will continue to stand up for an asylum system that is firm, fair, and fast.