Campaigners warn seasonal farm workers at risk of exploitation
Since Brexit, tens of thousands of seasonal workers have been given visas to come to the UK to pick fruit. Farms say the seasonal labour worker scheme is vital for the nation's food supply.
But some lawyers and campaigners believe it creates a risk of exploitation.
Channel 4 News has spoken to one woman who came here from South America as she prepares for an employment tribunal with her former employer.
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Daily Mirror
8 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Small boat arrivals 'drawn to UK because we can't return them after Brexit'
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said there is evidence that the lack of a migrant return deal after Brexit is 'a factor' for people making the dangerous Channel crossing Migrants are being drawn to the UK on small boats because there is no return agreement with Europe after Brexit, MPs have been told. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said there is evidence that this is "a factor" for some people making the dangerous journey to claim asylum. She told members of the Home Affairs Select Committee the Government is trying to secure a new return deal with Europe to replace the one that was lost. Ms Cooper made the remarks after being questioned by Labour MP Chris Murray about the EU's Dublin scheme. This gives member states the right to return migrants to European countries where they had previously made an asylum claim. The UK had such an arrangement with the EU until December 31, 2020. Ms Cooper said: "We want to see a replacement for the Dublin scheme to recognise the impact of that. There's evidence of people who are in the UK raising that as a factor for them." The Labour frontbencher continued: "Nobody should be making these journeys, it was completely unacceptable the number that we saw on Saturday." So far 14,812 people are known to have crossed the Channel this year. It comes after a leaked recording revealed Tory shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp complained that after Brexit the UK "can't any longer rely on sending people back to the place where they first claimed asylum". In a clip obtained by Sky News last month, Mr Philp went on: "When we did check it out… (we) found that about half the people crossing the Channel had claimed asylum previously elsewhere in Europe." On Monday Éléonore Anne-Marie Caroit, deputy of the French national assembly, said Britain appears like an "El Dorado" - the mythical city of gold in South America - for migrants. But she denied that France was failing to stop the problem, saying the two nations must stop blaming each other. Ms Caroit said the UK has suffered as a result of Brexit, with the UK no longer able to return people to the EU under the Dublin scheme. She told the BBC: "The numbers have been increasing since Brexit after the UK is no longer part of the Dublin Regulation and has a very weak asylum policy." This made it easier to return migrants with no right to be in the UK, she said. It comes after Home Office figures showed the number of days with good weather conditions for migrants to cross the Channel this year have more than doubled compared to previous years. There were 60 so-called "red" days between January 1 and April 30 this year, when factors such as wind speed, wave height and the likelihood of rain meant crossings were classed by officials as "likely" or "highly likely". Some 11,074 migrants arrived in the UK during these four months after crossing the Channel. By contrast, there were 27 red days in the same period last year, less than half the number in 2025, with 7,567 arrivals recorded - nearly a third lower than the total for this year. There were also 27 red days in the first four months of 2022, with 23 red days in 2023, with 6,691 and 5,946 arrivals in these periods, respectively. But Mr Philp responded: "Blaming the weather for the highest ever crossing numbers so far this year is the border security equivalent of a lazy student claiming 'the dog ate my homework'."
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Scottish Sun
Watch moment Nigel Farage makes back door exit as Reform UK leader dodges protesters in Scotland
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) RATTLED Nigel Farage was forced to do a runner from a back door as noisy protesters wrecked his big trip north. The controversial Reform leader was branded 'racist through and through' by a crew of loudspeaker wielding campaigners. Sign up for the Politics newsletter Sign up 3 Rattled Nigel Farage was forced to do a runner from a back door Credit: Getty 3 He made a sneaky exit to avoid critics at the front Credit: Getty 3 The Reform leader kicked off his day of campaigning at the Silver Darling restaurant Credit: Getty Cops were called out and his team were overhead discussing whether they should scrap the event at a luxury restaurant in Aberdeen. It eventually went ahead but Farage made a sneaky exit through a back entrance to avoid his critics at the front. He blamed 'inciteful' First Minister John Swinney for the clashes because he branded the Clacton MP racist over the weekend. Farage said: 'We've not heard these chants in England now for a very, very long time. 'The First Minister Swinney was the one who started using the word in a deliberate and provocative way. 'We just want to live in a country where everybody is treated equally. Where everyone is treated on merit regardless of race, sexual identity or whatever else it may be.' Farage kicked off his day of campaigning at the plush Silver Darling restaurant right on the harbour in the Granite City. He revealed he chose there because he didn't think anywhere else would be safe. Farage said: 'We're trying to protect ourselves from the howling mob that's been stirred up by the First Minister and others. 'We thought it better to do it here than on a high street. Farage goads 'terrified' Starmer & says Tories are 'finished' 'At least half of the protesters outside are wearing face coverings. I don't think that should be allowed.' Farage was joined by Reform's deputy leader Richard Tice for his trip to Aberdeen. The pair welcomed local Conservative councillor Duncan Massey, who jumped ship from the Tories. Farage kicked off by congratulating Aberdeen FC for their Scottish Cup win over Celtic. But he revealed he's concerned about the future of the oil and gas industry and the impact its decline will have on the city. He compared the industry and the fight for it's future to Brexit. Farage said: 'The whole net zero debate is almost the next Brexit. Believe me the scales are falling off the eyes of the people.' The whole event was almost overshadowed by the campaigners who turned up outside. They began loudly chanting 'Farage we don't like you' and 'oh Nigel go home', as well as calling him 'racist scum'. Their racket could be heard during Farage's media event. A wall of cops were called in to stand between Farage and the protesters who were armed with placards and banners. It's thought Farage's schedule was thrown into disarray by the gang as his security team frantically tried to get him out. His motor eventually met him at the back door beside the bins. But a fan turned up as he was being led out. She shouted: 'Love you Nigel. Vote Reform.' Farage then headed off to campaign in Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse.
Telegraph
2 days ago
- Telegraph
France blames Brexit for Channel migrant crossings
A leading French MP has blamed Britain's decision to quit the EU for the surge in migrants crossing the Channel in small boats. Éléonore Caroit, a member of president Emmanuel Macron's Renaissance party in the French National Assembly, said numbers had been increasing since Brexit, which meant Britain no longer had a returns agreement with the EU and a 'very weak asylum policy'. She also repeated long-held French claims that Britain represented an 'El Dorado' to migrants because of its 'attractive' benefits and asylum system. El Dorado is a mythical city of gold, supposedly located in South America. Her comments come amid increasing frustration in the UK across political parties at the failure of the French to stop migrants crossing the Channel, after Saturday saw a record daily total of 1,194 people reach the UK. The French stopped just 184 migrants from leaving on Saturday, fewer than 15 per cent of the total 1,378 who attempted the crossing. The 1,194 brought the total so far this year to 14,811, the highest ever recorded in the first five months of a year and up 42 per cent on this time last year. So far this year, the French have intercepted just 38 per cent of migrants, down from 45 per cent in 2024, 46.9 per cent in 2023 and 42.4 per cent in 2022 despite the UK putting up £480 million over three years to fund extra officers and surveillance equipment on the beaches to stop the migrants. The French have committed to changing their laws so police can stop the boats in shallow waters, but have yet to make good on this pledge. Chris Philp, shadow home secretary, has urged the Government to suspend its 12-year fishing deal with the French until they intercept migrants at sea and stop the Channel crossings. Ms Caroit, who is vice president of the National Assembly's foreign affairs committee, said it was 'unfair' to say France had no political will to stop the boats. But she said: 'One thing is for sure, the numbers are increasing, but they have been increasing since Brexit, after the UK is no longer part of the Dublin Regulation and has a very weak asylum policy.' The Dublin agreement enabled the UK to return migrants to the EU if it was shown they had travelled through a European country and had failed to claim asylum there. However, no replacement was negotiated in the Brexit talks, although Sir Keir Starmer is seeking to agree a similar scheme. Challenged over the low stop rate of the French, Ms Caroit admitted that 'once the boats are in the water, it is impossible for the French policemen to actually intercept them.' She said the legal change – allowing police to intervene in shallow waters – would make a difference. 'It's a matter of legislation, but it's also a matter, again, of what happened after Brexit. Before it was easier to have the migrants return,' she said. 'We need increased co-operation between the UK and the French, the authorities and policemen, so that we can actually have a clear division of what can be done when the boats are in the water. Asked about the UK being an El Dorado, she said: 'It is. It's a complex situation, people want simple solutions, but you have to go to Calais and see what it looks like, and how many boats you have and how many people are waiting to go to the UK. 'So, of course, there is a part that can be improved in France, and we're working towards that. But I also think the UK needs to take responsibility, because it is so attractive to these migrant routes as of today, and we actually need to work together instead of blaming each other.'
