I don't know about you, but I'm utterly sick of a media and political class that reflexively lambast any efforts to restrict immigration. With measures roundly dismissed as heinous, hateful or heartless.
Reports suggest that Home Secretary Priti Patel issued a "ministerial direction" to get through the Rwanda asylum plan to deal with our English Channel migrant crisis. Patel had to give this direction because top civil servants are frankly out of touch with the British public.
If you ask me, folks, it's great to know that we have a Home Secretary determined to stop open borders and the evil trade of people traffickers.
A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, following a small boat incident in the Channel. Under a scheme designed to crack down on migrants landing on British shores after crossing the Channel in small boats, the UK intends to provide those deemed to have arrived unlawfully with a one-way ticket to Rwanda. Picture date: Friday April 15, 2022.
Gareth Fuller
Patel hopes that she can replicate Australia's model, Australia you see processes asylum seekers 3,000 miles from its borders on an island in the Central Pacific.
The numbers in Australia peaked at 20,000 a year, fewer than our own, but crucially fell to 160 the year following the introduction of the policy. In 2015 none at all made dangerous journeys.
A group of people thought to be migrants as they are brought in to Dover, Kent, by Border Force officers following a small boat incident in the Channel. Picture date: Thursday March 3, 2022.
Gareth Fuller
We might have ended free movement from the EU, but nobody can argue that we've delivered on the promise to end uncontrolled migration to this country.
Look at the numbers ferried across the English Channel, in 2018, there were 299, in 2019, there were 1,843, in 2020, there were 8,466, and last year there was a staggering 28,527.
So far in 2022, more than 6,000 have been brought ashore, with 181 migrants coming across on Good Friday. It's only April.
Some predict 60,000+ by the end of the year, with this summer being a ferry free for all.
A small boat used by a group of people thought to be migrants is inspected after being brought in to Dungeness, Kent, by the RNLI following a small boat incident in the Channel. Picture date: Saturday January 15, 2022.
Gareth Fuller
A central argument against free movement with the EU was the sheer volume of people coming here.
Numbers the size of English cities arriving each year.
We risk similar numbers getting here via the English Channel. It would be a humanitarian and democratic impossibility with the British people totally losing support in Government and our immigration system.
And folks, thus far, the data tells us that 70 per cent of those arriving are men under 35, hardly the portrayal of a family of refugees coming here to escape war or persecution and folks, last time I checked, Macron might be a bit of an arrogant bore but France isn't a nation at war!
I don't know what the liberal Left have got against Rwanda in opposing this plan, especially for those refugees seeking to escape wartorn France.
The public is overwhelmingly opposed to open borders and the security risks they present.
More than two-thirds of the public do not think people who arrive illegally from a safe country should be allowed to claim asylum and I get that, if you break our laws, why should you benefit from our hospitality?
It's important we get this right to keep public support for genuine refugees.
So folks, with that said, here's wishing the Government well in the inevitable liberal lawyer court cases that try to prevent Britain from having border controls once again!