The MP for Bracknell has called perilous illegal Channel crossings ‘suicide’ in comments backing the Government’s tough new immigration bill.
James Sunderland, the Conservative MP for Bracknell, railed against the “tide of illegal immigration” and calling for a tough approach on entering the UK and people smugglers profiting from illegal crossings of the English Channel by boat.
He also said that his Bracknell constituents were eager to see the UK take back control of its borders.
Mr Sunderland made his comments over what he called the ‘suicidal’ crossings during a debate over the Nationality and Borders Bill in Parliament.
READ MORE: Bracknell MP pushes for travel covid test price controls
He said: “Since I was elected to Parliament, one of the issues that I have been left in no doubt about whatsoever by many of my constituents is that the UK must take back control of its borders and deal with the tide of illegal immigration. We have all seen the sad and appalling scenes—images of asylum seekers making the perilous journey across the channel in small boats, on dangerous tides.
“Frankly, it is suicide, and it needs to stop, for all the reasons that have been debated today.
“The UK has shown itself over many years to be more than generous and hospitable, but there cannot be an indefinite blank cheque for those who come here illegally.”
The Nationality and Borders Bill is 82 pages long. One of the provisions in the bill is a requirement for asylum seekers to make claims at a “designated place” or face removal.
‘Designated places’ are listed as ‘asylum intake units’, a removal centre, a place where there is a person present who is authorised to accept asylum claims, a place where the claimant has been told by the Home Secretary or an official to make their claim, or any other place that the Home Secretary has designated.
Additionally, the Bill would enact a points based immigration system and varies the approach to asylum seekers based on how they entered the UK. If asylum seekers’ claims prevail, they will only receive temporary status with limited entitlements.
Meanwhile, anyone who arrives illegally will be deemed inadmissible and either returned to the country they arrived from or a safe third country.
Successful claimants who arrived via another safe country would receive temporary protection status, with these rules being reassessed periodically.
READ MORE: Bracknell MP wades in on disabled badge process and urges the Government to act
Mr Sunderland got into a heated exchange with Stuart McDonald (Scottish National Party, Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East) over whether adapting the asylum system would deter arrivals.
Mr Sunderland said: “The proposals in the Bill will rightly create a differentiated approach. How someone arrives in the UK will impact the type of status they are granted in the UK if their asylum claim is successful. Ministers rightly argue that that approach will discourage irregular entry into the UK, such as entry across the channel via small boats, as we have discussed, which, again, increased significantly in 2020.”
Mr McDonald said: “There is not a shred of evidence in the world that tinkering with the asylum system discourages people from coming to claim asylum. In fact, parts of the Bill are already in force, including the six-month palming off of complaints, and of course we already have Napier and Penally barracks, yet still the number of crossings continues to rise. It just will not work. People will still come. They will not be put off coming to Britain; they will just be put off claiming asylum because of how bloody awful this Government are making the system.
Mr Sunderland replied: “What we have to do is disincentivise the ongoing passage across the channel. We have to break the cycle. If asylum seekers know that entering the UK illegally via that method is not going to result in a successful claim for asylum, then it may stop. That will also discourage those gangs from wilfully imposing their own selfishness on these vulnerable people.”
READ MORE: Bracknell backs Doggy DNA bill that could bring an end to dog microchipping
You can report suspected immigration crime on the Home Office website, or in an emergency call 999.
The debate Mr Sunderland spoke in took place on Tuesday, July 20.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here