Latest news with #DublinConvention
Spectator
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Spectator
It's crunch time for Starmer's ‘one in, one out' migrant deal
The entente is still very much cordiale. Talks between Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron are ongoing on the third day of the Anglo-French summit. The key issue is migration: how best to stop the constant flow of Channel crossings that have seen 20,000 arrive here this year already? Like Rwanda, this deal faces numerous practical and political hurdles Both, publicly, are singing from the same hymn sheet, with lashings of Gallic sweetness. In remarks this morning, the French President praised the relationship between London and Paris. Both nations, he insisted, share 'the same resolve to fight' people smugglers. The Prime Minister spoke, again, of 'new tactics' and a 'new intent to tackle illegal migration and break the business model of the criminal gangs'. The big solution, expected to be unveiled later today, is a 'one-in, one-out' deal. For each individual taken back, France would transfer one asylum seeker to the UK, who would likely be someone with a family connection or genuine reason to seek sanctuary here. British officials are, understandably, pushing for a high number; the French are believed to be more resistant. The hope is that if a return deal works, it would deter future crossings, allowing Starmer to claim that he, finally, has 'stopped the boats'. Of course, like Rwanda, this deal faces numerous practical and political hurdles. Who decides who comes in and out? What does the deal mean for the EU and the Dublin Convention? Is such a deal even legal under the UN Refugee Convention? Expect those questions and more to be put to Starmer and Macron when they appear at a joint press conference later today.
Telegraph
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
I was a border force officer. Starmer's 'deal' with Macron is worse than useless
I'd have loved to be in the room when the deal of the century was negotiated between Macron and Starmer. From one in, one out, to 17 in, one out – and that's if you're lucky. It's a safe bet to assume that there will be no end to the small boat crossings anytime soon, then. The Government will be keen to spin this as a win, given that we've never had a safe third country agreement with France. Starmer can say it's the first substantive negotiation as a sovereign nation. It's also a way for them to counteract complaints from Remainers that whinge that, if only we had stayed in the EU, we could remove the Channel migrants under the Dublin Convention. This is the height of ignorance: even under that we hardly ever sent anybody back to France, as I know well from my time working on this in the Home Office, over many years. We had to prove that irregular arrivals had a family connection or had already claimed asylum there, and regularly sent over finger prints in order to see if there was a match. Funnily enough, we never seemed to get a positive result – unlike our more helpful allies in Holland and Germany. In fact we ended up taking more people in from the EU – mainly from Ireland – than we ever sent back under Dublin. The devil, as always, is in the details. One statistic I saw bandied around about the actual likely rate of removals under the terms agreed with France would put attempted removals at just 6 per cent. Given that on our busiest crossing days we now can expect to get a thousand people arriving on our shores, that means only 60 people would be targeted for return to France. Hardly a deterrent to others. It gets worse. How would these returns actually work in practice? The Border Force won't be able to rescue them and take them straight back to Calais. Boat arrivals will still have to be taken to Western Jetfoil and Manston for triage. Will there be a limit on how quickly they can be returned? (Most migrants can only stay at Manston for 48 hours maximum, and the immigration detention estate is full). Many will go straight on to migrant hotels. The tiny figure we try to remove will be welcomed by a veritable army of immigration lawyers who help wreck the Rwanda plan before a single flight could even get off the ground. So how many people will be on the plane to Paris? 20? 10? Less? Will this figure be under escort? Even if that's the case, it would be a waste of resources. We know well what the French will do as soon as they receive our detainees, as they've made their working operations clear through previous experience. Migrants will be dumped out, free to make the journey back to Northern France for another attempt at the border. And who are the 60 we will take back in return? There are already legal routes for refugees in the UK to bring family to the UK. So presumably we are now opening up new routes for people who are currently inadmissible? While these migrants wait in Calais for another opportunity to cross, we can rest assured that the French police's involvement will be minimal. Unlike in the UK, where we actively arrest and challenge people we suspect to be here without permission, the French just leave migrants in limbo with little attempt to arrest and deport them. Occasional raids on French encampments have little impact, with migrants simply moving elsewhere in the area and surviving on handouts from local refugee groups pending their turn to cross the channel. Factors like this have helped to turn parts of northern France into lawless zones, with gang shootings and stabbings becoming an increasingly frequent occurrence, much to the upset of local residents. It is therefore in Macron's interest to move forward on a genuinely effective mutual agreement between our two countries. But he is also correct to childe us for failing to remove the pull factors that make Britain an even more attractive destination nation than France. If you can get within a 12 mile zone, you'll get fresh clothing, food, somewhere to live and a nice off-the-books job that can provide a decent income - and, best yet, you'll never have to repay the costs incurred to the British taxpayer. The inconvenient truth is that this scheme is in no way the deterrent the Government is attempting to suggest it is. The message going out to people smugglers this week is that the crossings can carry on. For the sake of the country, I hope I'm wrong. But I know all too well how easily even the extremely modest ambitions of this agreement can be frustrated.
Metro
05-06-2025
- Politics
- Metro
Reader suggests fishy solution to the Channel's small boat problem
Do you agree with our readers? Have your say on these MetroTalk topics and more in the comments. To better tackle illegal immigration, the UK could introduce a smart incentive system that links EU countries' access to UK fishing waters with their cooperation in reducing migrant crossings. Instead of relying solely on border patrols or controversial Rwanda-style deportation plans, this approach encourages EU partners, such as France and Belgium, to actively help prevent illegal Channel crossings in exchange for increased fishing rights and reduced port fees. A performance-based model, assessed over a four-year period, would reward countries that show real progress with better access and benefits. This policy offers a practical, legal and cooperative alternative that uses diplomacy and economic incentives to improve results – moving beyond reactive enforcement to proactive partnership. Chris, London Fi O'Connor (MetroTalk, Wed) says Brexiteers bear some responsibility for the small boat crisis because we can no longer call upon the so-called Dublin Convention – which allows countries to request fellow EU member states manage asylum requests. Having left the EU, we cannot use it. This is oft-cited but had negligible effect in the return of migrants to the EU. For example, as per House of Commons Library records, in 2018 there were 37,453 asylum applications and 5,510 outgoing transfer requests, of which only 209 were accepted. The regulation worked both ways, resulting in 1,215 migrants entering the UK under the regulation in the same year. Jonathan Bagley, Todmorden The UK is investing £15billion in its nuclear weapons programme (Metro, Tue). How is buying nuclear weapons preparing for war? Neither Gaza, Ukraine, Israel nor Russia have used them. What we need is for our children and men to look at our cities and see something worth living for, worth fighting for. They need to see a future they can believe in instead of seeing filth and neglect everywhere and adults berating each other all the time. All our cities and towns need a good clean up. Give us a country we can love and a government we can believe in. Otherwise, Sir Keir Starmer's war will be trying to stop rioting. Young men who have no respect for authority will not be manageable. Michelle, York A US investment firm has pulled out of a £5billion rescue deal for Thames Water (Metro, May 29). Thank goodness. At least it means that another 'British' company won't fall into foreign hands. Now regulator Ofwat needs to prevent Thames Water from paying any dividends etc to investors until its £20billion debt has been paid. After all, while investors are there hoping to make a profit dividends aren't guaranteed. That is the risk that they take – some you lose, some you win. Rob, York Marc (MetroTalk, Mon) asks how Clark's idea of a £300 cat licence could be administered. Controlling cats has been tried before. In 1233, Pope Gregory IX, who had a 'thing' about witches, issued a papal bull – an official decree – which linked cats to Satan. This is thought to have led to a huge number of cats being killed across Europe. As a result, the rat population boomed unchecked. The story goes that, a century later, around 1388, rats arriving on ships from the Middle East carrying fleas infected with bubonic plague, were able to pass them on unopposed to European rats. The result of all this? The Black Death. So, politicians beware! As an aside, there's a theory this was the basis for the poem The Pied Piper Of Hamelin. Peter, Wolverhampton As much as anything, this misplaced cat licence idea raises the issue of matching cats with their 'owners' (ie, their staff). A personal example – since last September, I have been getting visits from a long-haired tuxedo I call Mr Fluff, who is always welcome, despite the odd incident of nearly knocking books etc onto the floor. I have a friend whose cat visitor is called Milo, although we sometimes refer to them as The Eastney Terror. I have since discovered on YouTube that many folk have a MHNMC (My House, Not My Cat) or in my case, MFNMC (My Flat, Not My Cat). I have no idea where my MFNMC actually comes from, what his actual name is or, for that matter, whether 'he' might even be a 'she'. Clearly this licence proposal is going to be a loser and one can only hope that in due course Clark will have a furry visitor and so quietly bin the idea. Robert Smith, Southsea Clark was probably a mouse in a former life and this is why he has cat issues. Amanda, South Yorkshire May I add to the short odes to bus routes submitted here of late? More Trending The 700 on the coast / Could be the bus I love the most / You wait an hour, just like a dunce / Then three of them come all at once / They've managed to improve a little / And split the route up in the middle / So Stagecoach lives up to its name / And life will never be the same. Nicholas B Taylor, Hove Another doctor joke for you. I asked my doctor what was wrong with me. He said that it could be pneumo-bacterisilimicroscopioniasis, but it was hard to say. Jeff, Nuneaton MORE: Enjoy a sky-high brunch at The Shard for £55: 10 unmissable Time Out deals MORE: The Metro daily cartoon by Guy Venables MORE: Ex-Arsenal prodigy jailed for four years over £600,000 cannabis smuggling plot
Metro
03-06-2025
- Business
- Metro
Readers fed up with funding France while borders stay broken
Do you agree with our readers? Have your say on these MetroTalk topics and more in the comments. Regarding your front page story about 1,194 migrants crossing the Channel in a single day, the highest number this year (Metro, Mon). Britain's borders have been broken for years. It's about time we stopped paying France £480,000 per day for them doing nothing to stop the 'small boats'. This money could be used very much better here at home for many projects. The money already sent should also be reclaimed, or else there must be some concrete agreement that the French will uphold with guarantees in place. Rob, York To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Former Conservative home secretary James Cleverly and Reform leader Nigel Farage blame the government for the number of Channel crossings. The number of asylum seekers arriving across the Channel has significantly increased since 2023. Britain left the EU on January 31, 2020. Under the so-called Dublin Convention, European law had allowed Britain to send requests to other mainland countries to take charge of or to take back asylum applications. Britain no longer has the power to ask France, or any other mainland European country to take back asylum seekers. Both Mr Cleverly and Mr Farage advocated we leave the EU and the protection afforded by The Dublin Convention. Fi O'Connor, Broadstairs (On The English Channel) Robert James (MetroTalk, Tue) is correct to say that there will always be problems on the railway network, whether it is government or privately operated. What sticks in most people's throats the most, however, is individuals creaming off huge profits and bonuses at the expense of a shoddy service. As we have seen with the water debacle. It just seems worse somehow when it is privately owned. It's a bit like staying at a B&B and being told there is no breakfast and the hot water and heating is intermittent, only to then see the owner five minutes later in the hallway with their holiday cases packed. Ta-ra, I'll send you a postcard. Dec, Essex Mount Etna has had a bit of an eruption with a lot of noise, smoke and a 'code red' warning. There is certainly the potential for far more destruction and without any real warning. Etna is nature's version of Donald Trump, a lot of hot air and very destructive with no way to control what comes next. Etna could keep erupting on and off forever, whereas Trump only has about three-and-a-half years to cause damage – but that might still be enough time to mess up the US, its economy, its medical and education system along with many other aspects of the country. Dennis Fitzgerald, Melbourne, Australia The letter from Stephen Spark (MetroTalk, Mon) attacking Elon Musk for his cuts to US government spending cannot go unchallenged. People like him jump on the bandwagon of narrow-minded hatred toward a certain individual, oblivious of the bigger picture. They don't understand that sometimes drastic measures are required if something is to change… for the better! More Trending Mr Musk did exactly that. There will always be casualties as a consequence but that's the sad reality of getting out of the bad position and into a better one. Would it have been better, as Mr Spark seems to suggest, for the US to continue with the terrible level of money being wasted? I also find it disingenuous when people like him say things regarding Mr Musk and the chainsaw – used as a prop to represent the amount of money he was going to chop from the state budget. What's wrong with a little larking about? Also, the matter of the 'Nazi salute' given by Mr Musk at the Trump rally is nothing short of pathetic – the man was merely giving thanks to everyone by indicating 'to everyone' with a common arm and hand gesture. Suddenly that's a 'Nazi salute' by Mr Musk haters. No, it wasn't! There's a lack of intelligence going on there – and unreasonable hatred. I'm not a great fan of Mr Musk but I don't loathe him either. I look at things rationally, unlike some other people. It would behove them to do the same and society would be all the better for it. Richard Row, Harborne MORE: The Metro daily cartoon by Guy Venables MORE: Three Brits face firing squad for 'smuggling cocaine inside Angel Delight sachets' MORE: Soldier was 'degraded' by superior officers before being found dead in barracks
Euronews
19-03-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
Germany probing cases of citizens detained and denied entry to US
Poland and the Baltic states said on Tuesday that they want to withdraw from an international treaty banning anti-personnel mines, citing Russia's growing military threat. In a joint statement, the defence ministers of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland said they "unanimously recommend withdrawing from the Ottawa Convention". The 1997 treaty — which prohibits the use, production and transfer of anti-personnel mines — has been ratified or acceded to by more than 160 countries. Russia has not joined the agreement, and its full-scale invasion of Ukraine has turned the war-torn country into the most mine-laden nation in the world, according to reports. "Military threats to NATO member states bordering Russia and Belarus have significantly increased," the statement said. "We believe that in the current security environment it is paramount to provide our defence forces flexibility and freedom of choice to potentially use new weapons systems and solutions to bolster the defence of the alliance's vulnerable eastern flank," it added. Despite the intention to leave the treaty, the statement said the countries would remain committed to humanitarian law, including protecting civilians during armed conflict. The four countries have all increased or vowed to boost their defence spending following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Estonia, Lithuania and Poland have pledged to spend 5% of their GDP on defence, a goal that was put forward by US President Donald Trump. The current spending target for NATO members is 2%. In a separate statement on Tuesday, Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur said the country's military saw no need to adopt previously banned landmines. "Decisions regarding the Ottawa Convention should be made in solidarity and coordination within the region," Pevkur said. "At the same time, we currently have no plans to develop, stockpile, or use previously banned anti-personnel landmines." Meanwhile, Lithuanian Defence Minister Dovile Sakaliene said the recommended withdrawal sent a "clear message" about protecting the region's borders. "The states having a border with Russia are ready to take all possible measures to ensure the safety of their citizens," she said in a statement posted on Facebook. Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk told parliament earlier this month that he supported the country's withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention and possibly from the 2008 Dublin Convention, which bans the use of cluster munitions. Finland, which is not a signatory of the joint statement, said in December that it was also considering leaving the treaty due to Russia's use of anti-personnel mines in Ukraine. The US is the only NATO member state not party to the treaty. Other major nations that have not joined the pact include China, India, Pakistan and South Korea. According to NATO, nearly 70 countries and territories are still affected by the presence of some 110 million land mines, which can remain dormant, concealed beneath the earth, for many years before being triggered. At least 5,757 people — mostly civilians — were killed or wounded by landmines and unexploded ordnance in 2023, found an annual tally by the NGO Landmine Monitor. Germany is probing the case of three of its citizens being denied entry and placed in detention as they tried to enter the US, the country's foreign ministry said on Monday. Tourists from several countries, including Germans, have reportedly been caught up in US President Donald Trump's crackdown on immigration. "We have recently become aware of three cases in which German citizens were unable to enter the USA and were detained for deportation when they entered the country," government spokesperson Sebastian Fischer said. Two of the three cases had been resolved, Fischer confirmed, but Berlin is "monitoring the situation" and liaising with other EU countries to assess if these were isolated cases or representative of "a change in American immigration policy". 'Once we have a clear picture, we will then, if necessary, adjust our travel and security advice,' Fischer added. German and US media reported that two German tourists and one German green card holder had been arrested on re-entry to the US. Among them is Fabian Schmidt, 34, a legal permanent US resident. According to US outlet WGBH, he was detained at an airport in Boston before being transferred to a detention facility in Rhode Island. Schmidt's mother, Astrid Senior, told the broadcaster that her son was "violently interrogated" at the airport before being stripped naked and forced into a cold shower by two officials. The German foreign ministry said it was aware of the case and that its consulate in Boston was providing support. "It is clear that we expect from our partners, as well as from all other countries in the world, that prison conditions comply with international human rights standards and that detainees are treated accordingly," Fischer said. The two other nationals affected were Jessica Brösche, a 29-year-old tattoo artist from Berlin, and Lucas Sielaff, 25, from Saxony-Anhalt. Both have been sent back to Germany after their cases were resolved. Brösche had attempted to enter the US from Tijuana in Mexico while travelling with her friend, a US citizen. According to the online fundraiser set up to fund her return, authorities originally told her she would be detained for several days, but that what ensued instead was an "alarming sequence of events" with Brösche transferred and kept at the Otay Mesa Detention centre for more than six weeks. Brösche's friends alleged she was put in solitary confinement for nine days during her ordeal. According to ABC 10News, San Diego CoreCivic, the company that owns the detention centre where Brösche was held, denied her claims that she had been placed in solitary confinement. Sielaff returned to Germany in early March after two weeks in detention his girlfriend, Lennon Tyler, told Swiss daily Tages-Anzeiger. He had entered the US on a tourist visa and visited Mexico for a short trip. Tyler said Sielaff had incorrectly answered an immigration officer that he lived in Las Vegas due to his lack of English skills. His tourist visa was subsequently revoked at a border point in San Ysidro. 'Don't come here,' Tyler warned in her interview. 'Especially not if you're on a tourist visa, and especially not over the Mexican border.' It is unclear why Brösche and Sielaff, who reportedly had valid tourist visas, were detained. Germans who have a valid tourist visa to the US are generally allowed to travel visa-free for up to 90 days, according to the US embassy website in Germany. Green card holders are generally allowed to travel abroad and re-enter the US after stays lasting less than six consecutive months, according to the US government. More than 400 Palestinians were killed, including children and women, on Tuesday after Israel launched extensive airstrikes, Palestinian medics say. Early Tuesday morning, Israel's Prime Minister's office said it instructed the army to target Hamas across the Gaza Strip. The strikes were reported to have hit targets in northern Gaza, Gaza City, Deir al-Balah, Khan Younis, and Rafah. An Israeli statement said it carried out the strikes after Hamas refused to release hostages held in the Gaza Strip, and rejected a truce deal proposed by US special envoy Steve Witkoff. Israel promised to use "increasing military force." The scale of the horror is "unimaginable", according to one volunteer with Medical Aid for Palestinians based at Nasser Hospital. Dr. Tanya Haj Hassan said she had personally treated at least five patients who died in the emergency room. 'The ER was just chaos, patients everywhere, on the floor,' she said. 'There were probably three men, and the rest were all children, women, and the elderly—everybody caught in their sleep, still wrapped in blankets. Terrifying.' The surprise attack broke a period of relative quiet during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and increased fears that the 17-month conflict, which has claimed tens of thousands of Palestinian lives and left Gaza in ruins, would resume in full. When the Israeli planes struck, Palestinians at a school in Gaza City that was providing shelter to displaced families reported being forcibly shaken out of their sleep. More than two dozen people died, according to hospital officials. 'People are sleeping peacefully; they set the alarm to wake up for suhoor, and they wake up to death,' said Fedaa Heriz, a displaced woman, referring to the early morning meal during the fasting month of Ramadan. 'I heard screaming, my mother and sister screaming, calling for help. I came and entered the room and found the children under the rubble, under the stones,' said Majd Naser, a displaced Palestinian. The Israeli military had no immediate comment on the school strike, which was part of a renewed offensive in Gaza. The strikes come as the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel remains in limbo. The first stage of the three-phase deal brokered by the US, Qatar, and Egypt started mid-January and ended on the first of March. Negotiations on the second phase have not yet been hammered out. Hamas condemned the latest raids and said it holds Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responsible for the "unprovoked escalation" against Palestinians. "We hold the criminal Netanyahu fully responsible for the consequences of the treacherous aggression on Gaza, the defenceless civilians and our Palestinian people," the militant group said on Telegram. Hamas warned the strikes breached the ceasefire and put the fate of the hostages in jeopardy. "Netanyahu and his extremist government have decided to violate the ceasefire agreement and expose the prisoners in Gaza to an unknown fate," the statement said. Meanwhile, the Hamas-run government media office in Gaza said at least four of its senior officials, including two top police officers, were killed in the Israeli strikes. They named the officials as Issam al-Daalis, head of the government administrative committee; Maj. Gen. Mohamed Abu Watfa, undersecretary of the Interior Ministry, Maj. Gen. Bahgat Abu Sultan, director of the domestic security agency and Ahmed al-Hetta, undersecretary of the Justice Ministry. Earlier on Monday, Israel launched attacks towards Gaza, southern Lebanon, and southern Syria, killing at least ten people, according to local authorities. The airstrikes were the latest in what have been frequent and often deadly attacks by Israeli forces during the fragile ceasefires in Gaza and Lebanon.
