It's not just "a few" people. It was over 40,000 last year.roperclaret wrote: ↑Fri Mar 31, 2023 5:16 pmAnd this is the saddest thing. With all the problems people are dealing with, stopping a few desperate people trying to get themselves a better life instead of properly sorting the country out, might, just might keep them in power. I despair for voters priorities
Neither is it about the number of people - it's the fact that illegal immigration completely undermines the entire migration system and rewards law breakers.
These small boats are run by criminal gangs and the money they raise goes back into their criminal networks - drug gangs, street violence and crime are the net winners. If the problem isn't tackled, it will become a vicious circle of self sustaining problems well beyond the problem of illegal immigration.
It's reasonable to wary about rhetoric as you are but I think this is misplaced. Net immigration is at record high levels yet I don't see many people bothered about this. That's because it's not a major public concern - it's mainly due to Britain being a place where people want to come a live and work.
However, people are -largely- concerned about the small boat crossings. Why are people concerned about one and not the other? Because they are two diffferent things. Completely different kettle of fish.
If a country cannot control its borders, they might as well not be there.