By Sir John Redwood on May 15, 2025

    Ten months on a government with a large majority presides over record levels of illegal migration by small boat. They watch as if powerless observers as thousands more chance their lives to get here on illegal dangerous overloaded small craft. Why?

They scrapped the Rwanda plan which was starting to deter illegal travellers. They have offered friendship and money to France only to see the French accompany boats to the middle of the Channel . In France migrants survive in tents, freely talk of getting an illegal boat to England and make contact with the people smugglers.GB News showed all this on Tuesday in good reporting.

The UK offering to rescue people at sea and to ferry them to hotels, often leading on to their establishing a right to stay even though they came here illegally encourages this evil trade.

Why doesn't the UK arrest and prosecute the men who organise and steer the boats to the UK? Why don't officials mystery shop for boat transport so they know where and when boats will leave? Why cant they find out who takes the money? Why can't the French authorities stop boats putting to sea? Why hasn't France traced the supply of new boats to the traders?

Why are the standards of accommodation and treatment for illegal migrants so different in the two countries? How can France be abiding by the same Human Rights law which demands much higher standards in England?

Why does France tolerate so many illegals near the coast, and allow so many small boats to launch? It must be quite obvious which inflatable is an illegal people smuggling boat by the number of people assembling to go on it.