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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

People in small boats

329 replies

EndlessRain1 · 04/01/2023 14:58

With everything that is going on in the UK at the moment, can it really be true that one of the top 5 priorities in the country is to stop "people in small boats"?

I mean, I know a lot of people are against immigration in this form, but in the grand scheme of the shit show this country has been in the last couple of years that is in the top 5 priorities/ actions?

AIBU to think that's insane?

OP posts:
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6
realmsofglory · 05/01/2023 13:54

What 50 000 or so people a year all to be housed , fed, have access to creaking overstretched public services . It's a massive problem!

realmsofglory · 05/01/2023 13:56

But well done on the virtue signalling front OP!

Original poster
EndlessRain1 · 05/01/2023 14:05

@HomeAGnome I am not saying there is no issue. I am saying we aren't falling over dead bodies. There have been no migrant bodies on kent beaches as PP implied.

And the issue for (some) kent towns is that they are already underfunded and underresources and getting no proper help from central government on dealing with Asylum seekers. I doubt the Asylum seekers think it's great fund being stranded in delapated barraks in East Kent either and would like to have their applications processed in a timely manner, but it's presumably better than being killed in their home countries.

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yubgummy · 05/01/2023 14:05

I wouldn't have an issue with introducing legal routes for people to apply from overseas, IF that was accompanied by an acknowledgement that just because you have a heartwrenching tale and deserve sympathy, that automatically means that the UK has an obligation to take you in and support you.

And if it was accompanied by much faster rejections of asylum claims without years of appeals. I don't see any benefit in "faster processing" if we keep up the same levels of very high "pass" rates.

There are so many, literally billions of people in the world who would have a much better life in the UK, not starving, not persecuted etc. I feel for them, truly, I even know some personally but we have to be realistic, we are struggling to even support the current population and "put on your own mask before assisting others" is a guideline for a reason.

Original poster
EndlessRain1 · 05/01/2023 14:06

@realmsofglory - Again, as you must have missed the 15 times I've said it already, I am not saying it's not a problem. I am saying it's not top 5.

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HomeAGnome · 05/01/2023 14:22

The barracks weren't delapated the government had just spent millions on them @EndlessRain1 the problem is we don't know how many people are going to come over so they will by logic get overcrowded
Waste of money as they were burnt down though weren't they
Again , in my book it's a priority

trulyunruly01 · 05/01/2023 14:30

I find these sorts of stories even more worrying than the actual crossings.

People in small boats
AlaskaThunderfuckHiiiiiiiii · 05/01/2023 14:30

@1001Daffodils better than how I would have put it, there needs to be a way for those who would like to come here and work filling much needed roles to apply for these jobs and for entry to the U.K. without it being this difficult and as you say if they aren’t wanting to come and contribute to society they shouldn’t be given money etc

RoseslnTheHospital · 05/01/2023 14:31

Napier Barracks in Kent was not burnt down. There was a fire in one block. The whole site had been on notice for not following fire regs and being a risk to the occupants in case of fire. There's a whole host of others issues with the site, as you can see listed here lordslibrary.parliament.uk/the-use-of-napier-barracks-to-house-asylum-seekers-regret-motion/

Original poster
EndlessRain1 · 05/01/2023 14:33

trulyunruly01 · 05/01/2023 14:30

I find these sorts of stories even more worrying than the actual crossings.

Why?

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Original poster
EndlessRain1 · 05/01/2023 14:34

Ah sorry, you mean due to the children being missing... I missed the small print!

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Zebedee55 · 05/01/2023 14:36

Politicians follow the votes.

Every poll, whoever commissions it, shows that a majority of voters see stopping it as a priority. Depending on where people live, the impact on services and housing can be felt by some.

So, that's why they will want to deal with it - votes are all that matter.

Aaron95 · 05/01/2023 14:41

There is a very simple solution to this problem. Setup an assylum processing centre in Calais. That way people can have their applications processed without having to try to cross the channel. It wouldn't cost a lot and could be done very easily. But it won't happen because that doesn't fit the current political narrative of being nasty to foreigners.

Mamamia7962 · 05/01/2023 14:42

EndlessRain1 - They're not being killed in their own countries, they've come from France, they are already safe. What is difficult to understand about that. They don't need to put their lives or their children's lives in danger by getting into a small boat for Christ's sake. They are already safe in mainland Europe, they don't need to come here, they are already safe in mainland Europe and repeat .......

Mamamia7962 · 05/01/2023 14:44

No one is fleeing a life or death situation in France. They don't need to get in a boat .......

Kinnorafron · 05/01/2023 14:44

Stopclutchingpearls · 05/01/2023 13:17

Not one person is saying open borders we were never part of Schengen any way. The point is processing time in the U.K. it’s taking years that’s why it’s costing so bloody much because they can’t work but it works on the daily mail readers that don’t seem to realise this

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All Schengen does is remove passport checks - the borders are just as open outside Schengen but with free movement for EU citizens within the EU.

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 05/01/2023 14:50

It’s being forced up the agenda by the right wing press/ right wing pressure groups.

Yes we absolutely need to deal with people trafficking.

No, people in small boats is not one of our top 5 problems just now.

Kinnorafron · 05/01/2023 14:53

Aaron95 · 05/01/2023 14:41

There is a very simple solution to this problem. Setup an assylum processing centre in Calais. That way people can have their applications processed without having to try to cross the channel. It wouldn't cost a lot and could be done very easily. But it won't happen because that doesn't fit the current political narrative of being nasty to foreigners.

I don't think it's that simple - not sure the French would be thrilled for one thing, and Sangatte just acted as a massive magnet. People smuggling doesn't begin and end in Calais.

RoseslnTheHospital · 05/01/2023 14:55

@Mamamia7962 essentially you're saying that the UK need not accept any asylum seekers at all, because we are an island. So only mainland European countries should face the task of handling asylum seekers due to the geography involved? In fact, the only countries that ever should accept refugees are those immediately next to counties with wars, conflicts or totalitarian regimes? Is that what you're thinking?

MarshaBradyo · 05/01/2023 14:59

Zebedee55 · 05/01/2023 14:36

Politicians follow the votes.

Every poll, whoever commissions it, shows that a majority of voters see stopping it as a priority. Depending on where people live, the impact on services and housing can be felt by some.

So, that's why they will want to deal with it - votes are all that matter.

Yep. It’s clearly topping polls as both sides are trying to appeal to same voter - albeit with different approaches

Kinnorafron · 05/01/2023 14:59

MarshaBradyo · 05/01/2023 12:53

I don’t know maybe not. I see links to polls on here about changed feelings on it but it’s quite remain-y on here generally, very hard to know if Labour are right to worry about losing Brexit vote.

I think it was hearing that Take Back Control line yet again that threw me. By Labour this time.

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I missed that (Labour saying take back control). Both parties are in a tricky place - they both contain a significant number of MPs and party members who were in favour of Brexit so coming down on one side or the other is a risk. The Tories seem to have been taken over by the ERG - all the experienced remainers like Ken Clarke got fired, and since they are in power with a decent majority they have no immediate worries.
Lib Dems were the only party to stand on a 100% remain ticket but that didn't give them any real help - partly due to our ridiculous voting system.
I suspect even some remainers may feel it's too soon to revisit the question and may favour a period of stabilisation before we consider it again.

JellyInMyBrain · 05/01/2023 15:01

Op I think the same but then what do you expect with a populist government. All the "oh but think of all the dying people" faux concern is also annoying. The people who say that don't give a shit about people dying especially not brown people. If the UK had a decent way of arriving here and claiming asylum legally people would do that. It's like with abortion. People will try to get to these shores. Give them a safe and regulated way to do so. The numbers are negligible enough to not make a difference to anyone but the most self absorbed Tory (or worse) voters.

Kinnorafron · 05/01/2023 15:04

MarshaBradyo · 05/01/2023 14:59

Yep. It’s clearly topping polls as both sides are trying to appeal to same voter - albeit with different approaches

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It's going to be extremely difficult to actually solve this problem so it's going to be down to who can trick the electorate into believing they can. So far the Tories are winning - one reason I could never be a politician is that I couldn't keep a straight face whilst promising new initiatives to fix things my government had spent 12 years fucking up or ignoring - but it seems to be working fine for the Tories.

Original poster
EndlessRain1 · 05/01/2023 15:04

JellyInMyBrain · 05/01/2023 15:01

Op I think the same but then what do you expect with a populist government. All the "oh but think of all the dying people" faux concern is also annoying. The people who say that don't give a shit about people dying especially not brown people. If the UK had a decent way of arriving here and claiming asylum legally people would do that. It's like with abortion. People will try to get to these shores. Give them a safe and regulated way to do so. The numbers are negligible enough to not make a difference to anyone but the most self absorbed Tory (or worse) voters.

yeah, it starts with the poor vulnerable migrants faux concern, but quickly spills into a Brexitesque "but they are stealing our homes/ jobs/ GP appointments" (even though they like in temp accomodation so not housed, aren't allowed to work while being processed and GP appointments don't exist anyway!)

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JoonT · 05/01/2023 15:26

OhPeggySue · 04/01/2023 15:06

£7 million a day spent just on hotels housing people who are in the immigration system. I think it absolutely must be a priority.

Yes, I agree. There is a hotel near me full of immigrants, all being housed at the taxpayer's expense. And don't forget that that money could have been spent repairing the roads, reducing class sizes, improving the NHS, etc. During the day, you see groups of young African and Middle Eastern guys wandering around with nothing to do. Several have been arrested for shoplifting (my neighbour is a security guard at the local Tesco).

All of the immigrants are men, by the way. If they really are refugees, "fleeing war and persecution," as the media keep telling us, where are the old people and the women and children?