Government’s response flounders as migrant waves hit historic highs
- Unimaginable Numbers: Picture three fully-loaded Bibby Stockholm barges; that’s the overwhelming flood of 1,500 migrants that has inundated our shores this week alone.
- Relentless Surge in 2023: The year has seen an unremitting flow with over 18,000 individuals making their way into Britain via small boats. A minor decrease from the previous year is misleading, attributed merely to inclement weather, not improved border control.
- Asylum System Overwhelmed: With a record-shattering two-decade high in migrant arrivals and a 19% leap in asylum applications, the system teeters on the brink. Shockingly, the government has granted asylum in 70% of cases, while the colossal backlog continues to grow.
- Tracking or Tagging?: In a desperate bid to control the situation, the UK has started ‘barcoding’ migrants, treating them more like inventory than people. This is intended to monitor the deluge at major processing centres, including Marston and Western Jet Foil in Kent.
