By Jeremy Dewar
Labour’s constant refrain when condemning migrants crossing the Channel is that they should use only the ‘safe routes’. Rarely do they spell out what these routes are. Never do they admit how few arrive by these routes.
The government website claims it granted nearly 62,000 people leave to remain in the UK by these ‘humanitarian’ routes in the year to June 2025. But this includes all those granted temporary visas or visa extensions. The real figure for those granted refugee status is just 7,445, down 10% on the previous 12 months.
Only people from three places can apply: Ukraine, Hong Kong and Afghanistan. For all Keir Starmer’s rhetoric about supporting Ukraine, the rules were tightened this year leading to a 33% decrease in numbers arriving.
The scandal of abandoning Afghanis who supported Britain’s illegal occupation is as well-known as it is disgusting. All three areas are of course of geopolitical interest to Britain. So if it serves British imperialism to pretend to care for you, you’re safe-ish. If not, take the boat.
The only other safe route is for ‘family reunion’. Some 20,000 received temporary visas that way. In any case, Labour has just announced a further tightening of the rules. The process is slow and complicated. Worst of all, unaccompanied children are not allowed to apply for their parents to come, which is unspeakably cruel.
All this means that there is no way of applying for asylum in Britain unless you are already here. If Starmer and Cooper want to ‘smash the gangs’ they must first open real safe routes for all.
