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.

I fully agree with that, but it's very clear indeed that the government's constant "Stop the Boats" mantra is doing fuck all to achieve it, and it can't.

What would work overnight would be the provision of arrangements for processing asylum claims in France and safe passage with efficient asylum processing here. Who is going to choose a dangerous boat if they can perfectly legally book a place on a ferry or plane?

For all the government whinges about expense, it could have dealt with this much better over the last 13 years by taking steps to set up an efficient asylum processing system. That way, genuine refugees can have leave to stay and can move into employment and their own accommodation - goodness knows we need more people in so many industries. And non-genuine refugees can be identified quickly and deported to their country of origin. It's an easy win but it's a step that Tories won't take because they think their more rabid supporters won't like it.

I think they’re pro state requisition of property

It comes up a lot so I’d predict they’ve offered up their own already

@Bumpitybumper can people born in Southampton not be economic migrants?

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/holyrood-edinburgh-nhs-amazon-scottish-b1061228.html

What is a policy decision? To allow people to legitimately own homes that are empty some of the time?

It had been locked in court action for the last ten years!!! It’s not as easy as you pretend to make it sound.

To allow people to be so greedy that they have one or more empty homes whilst others don't have a roof over their heads.

I for one would rather not live in a country where success is measured by how greedy you are.

Not really. I’d rather people had safe routes for asylum and immigration. I don’t like the idea of any human being forced to stay in an unsafe situation, particularly those that already have family here. I would however want a government who looked into safe routes and not this weird obsession with allowing people to die at sea because they’ve made a desperate choice.

It’s not an easy answer. But as someone who’s lived in another country, and been a resident of that country - I can’t tell you how bloody difficult our system is.

WTAF

'compulsory purchase rules' of empty homes.

Just when you thought Labour couldn't make themselves any less appealing.

What's next counting how many bedrooms someone has and deciding if they have to either sell up or house a stranger 😳

Starmer is not in power.

Are you seriously contending that it isn't true that Sunak is writing off billions lost on fraudulent PPE contracts?

"He told delegates: “While thousands struggle to get on the housing ladder, there are empty and derelict houses blighting our neighbourhoods – there are 27,000 long-term empty homes"

1. This is Scottish Labour so will apply only in Scotland.
2. Will not affect "granny in respite care"
3. Long term empty homes, not homes empty "for any reason"

Seems like a good idea to me.

I live in Kent too and it's a problem
You don't see as many boats on the beach because they are picked up mid channel by the authorities and life boats. So in that respect its being controlled better than the shit show it was before People are getting fed up and good will is disappearing imo

jgw1
you are aware I am sure that there are more than enough empty homes in the UK to house all those who were born in Britain and find themselves without a home to live in

There were over 700,000 'empty homes' in the UK in 2008 - why didn't Labour utilise these homes during their time in government?

Completely agree. It's all way more political than it looks.

I think the government could quite easily stop the boats now – but the timing isn't right for them. Better to let it carry on for now, for two reasons: first, because it's a great distraction, and second, because the idea is probably to get the country entirely whipped up by it, with a solution magically found just before the 2024 election.

I think that a lot of things could be fixed right now, but it's strategically smarter for the Tories to allow things to get really shit – and allow Labour to make all sorts of promises that will upset the more right-learning vote.

Of course, maybe I'm totally wrong and the Tories are strategically incompetent as well as being useless bastards.

Yes it smacks of fascism.
Second homes also
Bedroom tax
car tax - where people are charged by the mile and ULEZ all over the country.

I think when it dawns on people what Labour are planning to do they are going to be horrified.

@BloodyHellKen you would rather see homes sit empty, whilst other people do not have a home to live in?

Only in that people are dying on them. Give them ferry tickets.

Ah I see, you imagine if all empty second homes forced into the rental market then everyone would be living in a utopia 😂

@Clavinova I suggest you write to Gordon Brown and ask him, do let us know the answer.

This is not a cuddly Blair type party.
Labour are now entrenched and indebted to just stop the oil activists, trans activists and eco warriors, the hard left and the unions we are in real trouble if they get in.

You are talking bollocks though. There is no UK wide Labour policy to compulsory purchase all empty homes.

There is a policy proposal in Scotland to do so for long term empty homes that are being left to rot.

Why not offer the ferry tickets for free whilst we are at it?

Are you going to tell us about the eye watering woke agenda then?

That is utter rubbish. That is exactly what Labour are looking at.