Herald Express: The need for cool heads in our immigration debate

“Mass immigration is still hopelessly out of control and set to get worse if we remain in the EU.” 

It would have been interesting if, during one of his marathon summer press conferences, a journalist had asked Nigel Farage to explain this quote, which illustrates a much-overlooked point in the immigration debate.  

In 2016 the Leave Campaign and Farage, especially, framed Brexit as a way of taking back control of our borders – who could forget the infamous ‘Breaking Point’ poster?  

Yet fast forward nine years, during which time we left the EU, ended free movement, and did everything else Farage claimed in 2016 would end mass immigration, and numbers are at some of their highest levels ever.  

The contradiction here is clear, but Farage does not care, and he is not being held to it. He is following the populist playbook, where you move the goalposts and constantly identify a new enemy. Since 2016 we have had the EU, judges, international humanitarian law, the RNLI, the ECHR and so on.  

All of which distracts from the fact that Farage, arguably more than any other serving politician today, is to blame for our immigration crisis. Contrary to what was said during the referendum campaign, immigration has significantly increased since 2016.  

Up until 2021 – when we were still part of the EU – there were hardly any small boat crossings. Last year, around 37,000 crossed the channel, up from 2023, but still less than 2022. This year, we have seen the highest number for the period Jan-June – up 48% year-on-year over the same period.  

Small boats are a tiny fraction of total immigration – as little as 4% of total arrivals to the UK last year. But overall migration has also skyrocketed since Brexit.  

Our immigration numbers are too high and unsustainable. I am completely sympathetic to the worried constituents who raised this crisis with me during my summer surgery tour last month.  

But Farage’s mass deportation plan is not a solution, and I am disappointed that the Government is behaving like a puppet whose strings are being pulled by Reform.  

Every time Farage turns the heat up on immigration, the Government responds with another idea or policy. In fact, as I write this article on Monday, the Home Secretary is about to announce an overhaul of the UK’s family reunion policy.  

All of this pours more fuel on the fire, when what is needed are cool heads and less drama. Nobody wants immigrants to be living in hotels for months or years on end with their bills footed by the UK taxpayer. Just, as I am sure, many do not want to see people risking their lives on a rubber dingy in one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes.  

We need safe and legal routes to the UK for people who are genuinely fleeing persecution and terror. We need to be far more efficient in how we process arrivals and create robust returns arrangements for those who are not asylum seekers. Those who have a genuine claim to stay must be integrated as fast as possible, able to work, contribute and live decent lives. 

We must support countries in the Middle East and Africa who are willing to take in refugees from neighbouring countries through our international aid budget.  

And we must stop dehumanising people who have made unimaginable journeys on foot for thousands of miles, desperate to find somewhere safe to live.  

We are a hospitable nation, that has given refuge to people fleeing persecution for hundreds of years. Let us focus on how we can integrate new arrivals into the age-old melting pot of British culture, enrich our cultural life and enable young arrivals to contribute to our economic growth and prosperity.