Labour's 'cruel' asylum returns deal with France comes into force
The trial will run until June 2026 and only some people arriving in small boats on the southern coast of England will be at risk of being returned.
It has led to accusations that Labour are 'just as unprincipled and impractical' as the Tories before them, while concerns have also been raised about the effect of detaining people who have already fled wars and torture.
Steve Valdez-Symonds, Amnesty International UK's refugee and migrants' rights director, said: 'When it comes to asylum policy, this Government is proving to be just as unprincipled and impractical as its predecessor.'
(Image: Supplied)
He argued that rather than 'smashing the gangs', as Labour have pledged, the policy only further entrenches the role of people-smugglers in the asylum system.
'A returns deal with France that makes access to safety in the UK – even for those with close family or connections here – dependent on someone else risking their life to cross the Channel only cements the role of smugglers in how people fleeing war and persecution must seek asylum in the UK,' said Valdez-Symonds.
'Once again, refugees are treated like parcels, not people, while the public is left to pay the price for, yet another cruel, costly failure dressed up as policy.
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'The UK shares the same duty as other countries to provide asylum. But instead of facing that responsibility, this Government continues to swap one unworkable gimmick for another – aligning itself with the smugglers and the chaos they exploit.
'If the aim is to truly reduce dangerous journeys and the profits of organised criminal gangs, the answer is clear: we need safe accessible routes between countries not miserable deals that trade in human lives.'
Natasha Tsangarides, associate director of advocacy at Freedom from Torture, said the policy relied 'on the mass detention of survivors of torture and persecution'.
She added: 'We know from our therapy rooms how profoundly harmful any time in detention is for people who've been through the unimaginable horrors of torture.
'Many survivors were tortured in detention, so locking them up again reopens deep psychological scars and can set them back significantly on their road to recovery. A more secure world for everyone depends on international cooperation not only to ensure safety for survivors but also to stop repression.'
In a statement, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the deal was the result of 'months of grown-up diplomacy delivering real results for British people as we broker deals no government has been able to achieve and strike at the heart of these vile gangs' business model'.
He added: 'This government has been fixing the foundations of the broken asylum system we inherited and today we send a clear message – if you come here illegally on a small boat you will face being sent back to France.'
Not all those who arrive in the UK by small boat will be sent back to France, however. It is estimated that around 50 arrivals per week will be returned, which is around one in 17 of all people who make the crossing at the current rate, according to Politico.
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