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Opposing the ‘stop the boats’ Bill is in all our interests
When legal migration is far higher than illegal, this preposterous and unworkable legislation is pure propaganda — but the demonisation of asylum-seekers presents real dangers, writes DIANE ABBOTT MP
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak onboard Border Agency cutter HMC Seeker during a visit to Dover, ahead of a press conference, June 5, 2023

THE government is facing extreme difficulties in getting its “stop the boats” Bill through Parliament. Its formal title is the Illegal Migration Bill, but since ministers have decided that the mode of transport you use by itself makes your application illegal, no-one is taken in by their nonsense.

The Bill is not meant to be policy in the sense of a workable plan to cut the number of people arriving on dangerous small boats. Ministers claim that harsh treatment, rejection of all applications made in this way and the threat of deportation will all have a deterrent effect.

This is based on no evidence at all. It completely ignores the levels of desperation that drive people to leave their homes to make this journey on the open seas. It ignores too the fact that most applications are granted.

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