Smuggling gangs ‘taken hold’, says Yvette Cooper
Political journalist
ReutersInterior Secretary Yvette Cooper told the commons during a debate on border security that people smuggling gangs were “allowed to occupy”.
She accused the last conservative government of failing to strengthen border law enforcement as quickly as European countries, but instead focusing on the “head of failure.”
Members of Congress are debating Labor’s border security, asylum and immigration bill, which uncovers the Tory Rwanda plan and gives greater power to police and border law enforcement to combat smuggling gangs.
Conservative shadow home secretary Chris Philp described the new plan as a “Border Surrender Act” and claimed it brought citizenship to illegal immigrants.
Members of Congress will vote on the plan later Monday.
The bill sets out Labor’s plans to treat smugglers like terrorists, which they have repeatedly made in the general election.
Reflecting the powers in the Terrorism Act of 2000, the proposed new law would criminalize “pioneer” crimes – allowing officials to punish people with legal acts related to illegal immigration, such as the sale of Dingjin or outboard engines.
The bill also creates new crimes that endanger another person during the illegal crossing of the channel. This is to stop those who refuse assistance on the dinghy.
Immigration law enforcement teams will also gain new powers to seize cell phones.
Some immigration rights groups criticize the measures, saying they criminalize vulnerable groups rather than human smugglers.
Labor believes this will be a more effective approach to small boat intersections than the previous government’s plan to expel asylum to Rwanda.
The bill also repeals most of the Conservative Party’s Illegal Immigration Act 2023, which lays the foundation for Rwanda policy.
Under Labor’s plan, the new Border Security Command will gain more power and new supervisors, who will oversee the closer ties between intelligence, police and border agents.
Cooper put the bill as a decisive step to restore the “credit” of the UK immigration and asylum system.
“The gang was allowed to hold it for six years,” Cooper said.
The Conservative government “failed to act quickly with France and other countries to increase law enforcement or prevent gang occupation, but instead released criminals.”
She told MPs: “It will take some time to relax your grip and crush the networks lying behind them, but those who follow the gang networks that have escaped for too long have no other choice.
“And there is no other choice to work with international partners to resolve this international crime, creating a new alliance against organized criminals – not just standing on the yelling coastline at sea.”
The debate ended with a large number of carefully orchestrated media carried out by the Ministry of the Interior to highlight changes in immigration methods.
Earlier Monday, the home office released photos and videos of the law enforcement teams attacking 828 venues, including nail bars, car washes and restaurants. They arrested 609 people – an increase of 73% last January.
Home Minister Dame Angela Eagle told the BBC’s decision to release the arrest footage was to convey a message to the reality of illegal work and to defend the government’s attitude as “compassionate.”
As the debate on the commons began, the Ministry of Home Affairs released new figures, and Britain has evacuated 18,987 people, including criminals and asylum seekers who have failed to protect, since Labor came to power in July.
According to the Home Office, 5,074 people are forced returns for those who do not have the legal right to stay in the UK – nearly a quarter of what they have achieved in the previous year in the previous year.
Officials used 39 chartered flights, four more than last year – foreign criminal deportations reached 2,925, a 21% increase.
Phelp spoke in the House of Commons, saying the plans were “weak bills from weak governments.”
He criticized Labour for not selecting the Illegal Immigration Act for most of 2023, including the Rwanda program and the part that prevents people entering the UK from obtaining citizenship.
“I think it’s shocking legislation that a bill creates avenues for citizenship for illegal immigrants and removes the government’s obligation to illegally remove illegal persons,” he said.
“What is needed is a binding ceiling where parliament can vote, so parliament can decide how many visas are issued each year,” Phelp added.
Lisa Smart, a spokeswoman for the Liberal Democratic Interior, said the current system “is not applicable to anyone” and believed that the Labor bill failed to provide a “humane, legal and effective framework” for immigration and asylum.
She said the government needs to expand the security and legal routes for asylum seekers, as well as apply for decisions “so that those with the right to be here can integrate and contribute, while those without the right can be returned quickly.”
