Romford M.P., Andrew Rosindell has today backed the Home Secretary’s plans for the biggest overhaul of the U.K.’s asylum system in decades.
The New Plan for Immigration sets out how the Government will seek to control illegal immigration now the U.K. has taken back control of legal immigration by ending free movement and introducing a new points-based immigration system.
The current system is collapsing under the pressures of illegal routes to asylum, facilitated by criminals smuggling people into the U.K. and too often resulting in the loss of life. The reforms will seek to ensure the U.K.’s asylum system is based on need, not on the ability to pay people smugglers.
For the first time, whether people enter the U.K. legally or illegally will have an impact on how their asylum claim progresses, and on their status in the UK if that claim is successful. Those who prevail with claims having entered illegally will receive a new temporary protection status rather than an automatic right to settle and will be regularly reassessed for removal from the UK. People entering illegally will have limited family reunion rights and limited access to benefits.
For people who have their cases considered, but refused, the Government will seek rapid removal to their country of origin, and will also reform the appeals and judicial process to speed up removals.
Refugees in need of protection will continue to be resettled through work with international organisations that provide a safe and legal route to the U.K. for people fleeing persecution in their home countries. This refined approach will be more responsive to persecuted minorities and emerging international crises: resettling refugees who are at urgent risk more quickly.
The Home Secretary will also have the ability to grant humanitarian protection to vulnerable individuals in immediate danger and at risk in their home country.
Andrew Rosindell M.P. said:
“I strongly back the Home Secretary’s overhaul of the UK’s asylum system. People in Romford are at their wits end about this – they simply cannot understand why on earth we have been unable to deal properly with waves of people illegally entering this country.
Just as importantly, these illegal crossings are hugely dangerous to those making them and punishes those genuinely vulnerable refugees and migrants seeking to enter our nation legally are effectively punished because they don’t have the funding to secure passage across Europe and across the Channel.
The tried and tested method for solving this problem is the Australian method: making it absolutely clear to those entering illegally will only seriously hinder their chances of staying here.
I would urge all of my constituents to respond to the Home Office’s consultation and give their views on the need to make the asylum fair but firm.”
Home Secretary Rt. Hon. Priti Patel M.P. said:
“Under our New Plan for Immigration, if people arrive illegally, they will no longer have the same entitlements as those who arrive legally, and it will be harder for them to stay.
If, like over 60 per cent of illegal arrivals, they have travelled through a safe country like France to get here, they will not have immediate entry into the asylum system - which is what happens today.
And we will stop the most unscrupulous abusing the system by posing as children, by introducing tougher, more accurate age assessments.
Profiteering from illegal migration to Britain will no longer be worth the risk, with new maximum life sentences for people smugglers.
I make no apology for these actions being firm, but as they will also save lives and target people smugglers, they are also undeniably fair.”
