Oliver Dowden insists Government is ‘taking action’ to deport migrants - ‘Albania is a safe country!’

Oliver Dowden has insisted that the Government is “taking action” to deport migrants in the UK.

Earlier this month, it was revealed that Downing Street has not ruled out barring illegal migrants from ever settling in the UK in an effort to crack down on the small boats crisis.

No 10 refused to “speculate” on future migration policy when presented with a series of proposals from the Centre for Policy Studies to cut the number of people making the perilous journey across the Channel.

In a new report, co-authored by Theresa May’s former adviser Nick Timothy, the centre-right think tank said no migrant who arrives in the UK illegally should ever be allowed to settle in the country.

The paper, with a foreword by Home Secretary Suella Braverman, also recommended legislating to make it impossible to claim asylum in Britain after travelling from a safe country.

Other proposals included laws permitting the indefinite detention of those arriving in the UK illegally, and the pursuit of deals with other nations to supplement the currently stalled plan to deport migrants to Rwanda for processing.

Asked by GB News' Michael Portillo why the Government find it difficult to deport foreign offenders, Oliver Dowden said: “Well, in relation to foreign offenders, I know that that's something that the Justice Secretary is very much focused on to get those numbers back up.

“Of course, we had a slightly strange period over the past couple of years in relation to wider deportations, particularly, for example, in relation to the small boats which you were alluding to in your opening remarks.

“The landmark agreement that the Prime Minister has made with the Albanian Prime Minister means that there is a recognition now that Albania is essentially a safe country, which should make it much, much easier for us to start deporting Albanians again in the sort of large numbers that will help to get that number under control.

“We also hope that we'll make progress with the High Court decision tomorrow in relation to Rwanda. So we are taking actions across the board in relation to that.”