'how dare they say uk no compassion! More refugees than any eu state'

A Sudanese teenager drowned while trying to make the perilous journey across one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes, the Dover Straits. The man was trying to get to Britain with a friend,

using a small stolen dinghy powered not by oars, but by spades that punctured the boat. As unbelievable as it may sound, migrants have been attempting the journey to Britain in inflatable

kayaks, canoes and even a children’s paddling pool in recent weeks. These DIY attempts are the bottom end of a massive, multi-billion pound people trafficking operation that sees

sophisticated high end zodiac-style rigid inflatable boats with high performance Honda engines motoring straight onto the beaches at the foot of our majestic White Cliffs. Rightly many

people in my area, and across the country, are outraged at the brazenness of breaking into Britain in this way – and that they are able to get away with it. Yet they are also concerned that

people in genuine need of help, fleeing conflict areas, should be offered a place of safety. This is not an impossible choice or a circle that cannot be squared. But it is a global

challenge. The United Nations have said that the number of displaced people in the world is much greater than the whole of our UK population – nearly 80 million people. So while we have a

vital role to play in being there for people in genuine need, we simply cannot welcome everyone in the world who would – quite understandably – wish to live in our great country. That’s why

it is right that we have established places of safety around the world close to conflict zones. First so people don’t need to make dangerous treks through war zones and across Europe, which

too often result in loss of life. It also means that when conflict ends that people will be able to return to rebuild their home nations. The UK is a global leader in this type of practical

support – providing billions of pounds for places of safety around the world - schools and hospitals, water and roads and much besides. Britain also does more under the resettlement

programme for refugees than any other EU member state. The UK is one of the top five resettlement countries worldwide. Last year we took more resettlement refugees, 5,600 people, more than

France, Italy, Greece or Germany. So the suggestion by some that Britain is not compassionate or caring about those in need or that we are failing to play our part in the world is complete

nonsense. What is needed is a better global response to match the UK’s compassion and commitment. We need a new approach to asylum and returns - because there is no compassion in walking on

by while people drown in the English Channel or find themselves ensnared by people traffickers and modern day slavery. That response must start at Calais. There are those who suggest that a

return to the days of uncontrolled migration that we saw just a decade ago will stem the flow. It won’t. It will simply increase the migrant magnet effect, as we have seen time and again in

Northern France. In order to put an end to the crossings France needs get a firmer grip. The French need to tackle the people traffickers who ply their trade openly in Calais. They must stop

boats leaving French shores in the first place. Boats, and people, making this journey should be returned, no ifs and no buts. The evidence is that a firmer approach to returning boats

saves lives. The Australian ‘turn-back’ approach shows the difference that can be made. In the two years before the ‘turn-back’ policy was introduced more than 650 died, trying to get into

Australia. This included several large scale drownings of between 50 and 200 people. In the two years following the introduction of the policy, the number had fallen dramatically to 17. Only

three boats were recorded as attempting to break into Australia in 2017. That’s around the same number of boats that were trying to break into Britain around 4 years ago. Nowadays getting

on for 5,000 people have got in by the small boats route this year already. On the same day that the Sudanese man lost his life, 11 boats containing 164 people successfully made it into

Britain. When traffickers and migrants alike know that they will not succeed, they will stop trying. The Australian approach is proof of this. It is time for a fresh approach to prevent more

loss of life and to put an end to the small boat crossings. DON'T MISS MICHEAL MARTIN’S ‘UNITED IRELAND-LITE’ TACTIC TO STOP SINN FEIN [ANALYSIS] BREXIT SETBACK: EU NOT

'SIGNIFICANTLY WORRIED' AT PROSPECT OF NO DEAL [INSIGHT] POUND TO EURO EXCHANGE RATE: GBP PLUMMETS AMID ONGOING BREXIT TALKS [FORECAST]