How bothered are you about Small Boats?

[Spinet]

I think the idea that people think Small Boats with illegal immigrants on them is a really pressing issue is made up by politicians to have something to campaign on. Am I right? Is this a pressing issue as far as you're concerned?

I'm not really talking about immigration/ asylum seekers in general, just the small boats everyone keeps mentioning. If you're worried about people dying in the channel I get that, but do you think people finding their way here illegally is a major issue for our country at the moment?

I think it's clear I don't but I will accept I'm wrong about this being a made up issue if the majority disagree with me.

If you want to vote YABU= this is one of my top ten concerns. YANBU = I don't think it's a top ten issue for the country.

If you are referring to a bunch of people as 'Small Boats' then yes that is dehumanising them. To my mind if you're prepared to risk death in the channel you probably are a refugee, but if you end up classified otherwise you are still a human being.

I'd like to think that if I was so desperate that I felt I had no option to spend my life savings on people traffickers and getting into an overcrowded dingy which many people have known to have died on, that there would be a safe, welcoming hand on the other side of the journey.

The government stance on it disgusts me actually.

Fwiw, I live in Kent and have taught unaccompanied minors who have crossed the channel. Their attitude and work ethic is always exceptional. They've come here for a chance of a better life, they are human, just like you and me

I don't think you are listening OP.

The issue that many on here have with sb's/illegal immigrant etc is the fact that many people suspect they are NOT refugees but instead economic migrants and that is why people are voting YABU.

As I said those predominantly young men who do claim to be refugees are are choosing to leave wifes/children/sisters/mothers etc in a warzone rather than getting them out first and staying to fight and for that reason I have no respect for them.

Some people would be very shocked when the EU adopts a system similar to Rwanda. Even they are very concerned as it is unsustainable.

Link please. That is simply not true. The greenbelt and its wildlife have always been safe under the conservatives. You may disagree with many things about their policies. but we have a beautiful country that is rich in bio diversity because it’s been preserved and protected despite the developers pushing for years. I don’t want to live on a concrete rock with no borders - thanks all the same. This is where we are headed with sir Keir and his Islington elite
(already living in a concrete jungle tbf with good sources of artisan breads and organic produce from said green belt!)

I expect things have got worse since 2018, but:

The funding for providers of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes across England has shrunk dramatically over the past decade, from £212.3m in 2008 to £105m in 2018 – a real terms cut of almost 60%1. This means refugees have long waits to access classes, don’t receive adequate hours to learn properly and the lack of childcare provision means parents are often unable to take part in classes at all.

It's an issue inflated by the tories to stoke the fires of their voters and at the same time an issue that they are failing to deal with with any efficacy - ironic isn't it.
Save your ire for the smugglers, not their victims.

Depends if you use the word young and what age that means but it is mostly males

Overall, males represented 87% of small boat arrivals in the year ending June 2023.

No it's not, my figures come directly form the gov.uk website. 39% are males between the ages of 18-25. 22% are males older that 25. 17% are male under 18.

So the amount of males coming over is 76 percent then according to your stats. Ok. The vast majority are male then.

Of course you're still a human being, but it is sensible to treat refugees differently than economic migrants otherwise it dilutes any assistance a country can provide to genuine cases and we will be overwhelmed by people coming here from poorer countries in the hope of a better life.

Some LA’s get Well-being funding to provide (as part of a wider package) opportunities to include sports, leisure & fitness to those seeking asylum here. This could include access to gyms.

You crack me up that it’s apparently your line of work & you’ve never heard of this😂😂😂

I agree. That really will spark a Pearl clutching frenzy. It won’t be as expensive or as hospitable as Rwanda , I believe the EU were looking at Libya this year.

If the way out is a small, crowded, rickety boat, how keen would you be to send you granny, young child and pregnant wife in it?

I cannot agree with you on the refugee/ economic migrant argument. I don't see economic migrants as less deserving than anyone else and I don't buy the women and children / warzone argument as it applies to people who have risked their lives to come here.

I'm listening fine thanks. More people agree with me than don't. I've changed my mind only in that I wish I hadn't started a thread with such binary options when really this is a complex issue.

Overall, males represented 87% of small boat arrivals in the year ending June 2023.

Even higher then.

@DigbyTheDigger it’s a government decision to not allow them to work.

I remember interviewing an asylum seeker who was a social worker. She really wanted to contribute. She ended up volunteering at a hostel as reception.

You are so ignorant it's actually funny.

But my "luxury" gym membership (£14.99) costs me less than my Netflix membership (£15.99). People can afford it, they just don't like to prioritise it

Well at least they are trying to fix the problem!! They have been through every court in the land trying to get the Rwanda deal to go through.

It's not an issue.
It's just underfunded.
Like the heath service, the roads, the education service, the emergency services.
None of those things are issues either.
Just underfunded.
No money from the top? Let's make it an issue at the bottom instead.

I'd be sending them to the first safe country on foot, unless I lived on a small island like the UK and a boat was the only option to escape.

It's the tip of the iceberg

What will happen in the sahel region in coming years will dwarf this issue

Its like asking me to care about a broken door when the house is on fire

I don't think the Tories are fixing the problem or are even intending to. The Rwanda plan is ridiculous. Tiny numbers and I believe the idea was for a mutual swap, so I don't really see the point of that. It's all posturing. I don't think Labour will fix the problem either. They will just carry on.

Yeah, that's their job as they are running the fucking country! You make it sound like the government is a charity doing it out of the goodness of their hearts.

Running into the ground, mostly. Making up shitty illegal solutions to dog whistle to the tabloids and no doubt ignoring decent advice from government lawyers and civil servants.

Suella Braverman shouldn't be allowed to run a fucking whelk stall.

It’s based on the Aus one, numbers do drop because people don’t want to spend thousands on ending up in Rwanda

Although it’s stuck in the courts so who knows if it’ll get through eventually

What really gets to me more than anything else is the lies and subterfuge.

Labour worship the EU as some hallowed heaven welcoming every passing migrant in to the fold. Keir is planning to do a ‘deal’ to follow their lead.

The truth is as ugly as this ⬇️ and yet Labour think this is a solution. Out of touch doesn’t even cover it:

https://www.euractiv.com/section/africa/news/amnesty-slams-five-years-of-eu-libya-migrant-deal/