UK immigration policy is a continuing disaster

 Today the UK supreme court has ruled that the governments policy to send so-called "illegal asylum seeking immigrants" to Rwanda is unlawful. There now needs to be a reappraisal of immigration policy.

It was always debatable whether refugees  who enter the country by unofficial means, such as smuggling by people traffickers,  are  in fact entering illegally. Under international law refugees fleeing wars, torture and prejudice do not have to cross borders "legally" to claim asylum.

The best solution to the problem of the boat people is to treat these unfortunate refugees with some respect and compassion. So far the government has failed. In their efforts to appease public opinion they have introduced measures to deliberately slow down the procedures for granting asylum to refugees, and this policy has resulted in huge backlogs to clear applications.  Because, the government has made it extremely difficult for genuine refugees  to gain access to the UK, asylum seekers are paying people smugglers to ferry them across the English channel. The government  has dreamt up the incompetent scheme of sending asylum seekers to Rwanda, to act supposedly as a deterrent. Government policy is now both egregious and  unlawful.

Immigration and asylum policy could be improved enormously. I could dream up a better policy and system, which would help solve the crisis.

Many of the refugees are from Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq, we bombed them so they are entitled to come to the UK forthwith and without excessive bureaucracy, provided they are not on a terrorist or dangerous criminal watch list. Likewise for refugees from Ukraine, Sudan and Hong Kong. The backlog could be reduced very quickly. Albanian citizens who arrive illegally should be sent back just like Thai and Malaysian citizens etc. would be.

It should be made easier and cheaper for workers to obtain work visas for the UK. They would then be less inclined to use subterfuge and then work in the Grey markets as wage slave agency workers.

Of course, there will be undeserving cases but their applications would be treated as exceptions, their applications could be fast tracked and undeserving or dishonest applicants could then be removed or jailed if necessary..

France has offered to Britain the opportunity to cater for applications for asylum seekers in processing centers on French territory, but they won't do this whilst the current farrago is not resolved. Let's take up their offer and resolve the problems legally and humanely.

It is time for all politicians to stop appealing to the lowest common denominator of public opinion, on dealing with immigration. The public should be reminded of our duty to accommodate  refugees with compassion and lawfulness. There needs to be a policy agreed between all the major parties.

If we treat everyone according to their human rights and dignity, then there will be no need to implement egregious policies and leave the ECHR. Gut instinct politics should have no support in a humane society.