Lord Blunkett said today Nigel Farage could become prime minister if Labour launched plans for introducing’safe roads’ that would allow asylum seekers to enter the UK.
As Sir Keir Starmer warned, the former home secretary stated that politics can be toxic in relation to migration.
Lord Blunkett stated that there’s no silver bullet to solve the crisis of migrants crossing the Channel. He argued for increased cooperation between Britain and European neighbors.
His comments came after a migrant boat capsized in the Channel yesterday causing the loss of dozens of lives.
French regional maritime authorities reported that 27 people died during the incident, which was the deadliest since the start of the current crisis.
Lord Blunkett claimed today that Nigel Farage “might end up becoming prime minister” if Labour introduced plans to create’safe roads’ for asylum seekers who wish to travel to the UK.
Former home secretary, Sir Keir Sterner warned against softening of the asylum system.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, Boris Johnson met with French President Emmanuel Macron. They agreed that they would ‘keep all options open’ as they tried to dismantle the trafficking gangs that put desperate people in danger on one of the busiest ocean lanes in the world.
The UK offered to send Border Force officers and police to the UK again. Joint patrols are organized with French forces to stop migrants boats trying dangerous crossings.
Although they were concerned about what this would mean for their sovereignty, the French previously refused to comply.
In its manifesto for 2019, Labour promised to “establish safe legal pathways for asylum seekers” to travel to the UK.
Nick Thomas Symonds, shadow home secretary, spoke recently about the necessity to offer ‘properly-managed safe and legal paths’.
However, Lord Blunkett warned today against making it harder for asylum seekers in Britain to get there.
It was put to him during an interview on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that some on the Labour left believe the solution to the crisis is to formalise routes across the Channel to allow people to come to the UK to submit an asylum claim.
Told that such an approach would likely not result in a ‘huge’ spike in asylum claims, the Labour peer replied: ‘Well, the numbers might not be but Nigel Farage might end up being prime minister and that could even be worse than what we have got at the moment.
‘The politics is toxic when it comes to migration… we have got something like a third less asylum seekers than the French and vastly lower numbers than the Germans.
‘But that doesn’t stop people actually believing that there is a flood coming in and so what we have got to do is to work with our counterparts in Europe.’
Lord Blunkett claimed that there’s no’silver bullet solution’ and only one way to resolve the crisis.
After crossing the Channel in Dover (Britain), November 24, migrants board a Border Force rescue ship wait to embark at Dover Harbour.
He added: ‘Unless we persuade the French that it is in their interest to do something, nothing is going to happen because they are being persuaded to stop people leaving their country to come to ours, that is the nub of this.’
Mr Farage warned earlier this week that the migrant crossings ‘crisis we are facing is one of national security’ as he said he is considering a return to the political frontline.
The former UKIP and Brexit Party leader said he is giving some ‘serious thought’ to a potential comeback after being ‘approached by several high-ranking donors’ in recent weeks asking him ‘if I am considering getting back into the political arena’.
The senior Tories warned Johnson that failure to address the issue could lead to the rise of an alternative UKIP-style party, which could result in the Conservatives losing their majority at the general election.