Politics

Keir Starmer Favoured Migrants Pretending to Be Children to Gain Refugee Status in Uk, You Won’t Believe How

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Prime Minister Keir Starmer has been accused of making Britain seem too lenient compared to other European countries. This criticism comes after his government decided to remove strict border laws that were designed to make it very difficult for illegal migrants to become UK citizens.

These laws were originally introduced by the Conservative Party, but the new Labour government has announced plans to cancel them. Along with this, they are also changing rules that allow officials to treat asylum seekers as adults if they refuse to take medical tests to prove their age.

These medical tests include things like MRI scans of knees and collarbones, and X-rays of hands, wrists, and teeth. Critics are worried that relaxing these laws will lead to more migrants pretending to be children in order to gain refugee status.

Chris Philp, a critic from the Conservative Party, has called the new plans a “total surrender to people smugglers.” In the first half of 2024 alone, over 1,300 illegal migrants were caught lying about their age.

Right now, UK border officials judge a migrant’s age based on their physical appearance and behavior. However, other major European countries like France and Germany use medical tests to determine the age of asylum seekers, which is seen as more accurate.

The new Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, introduced by the Home Office, will reverse many of the previous Conservative government’s efforts to stop illegal boat crossings. This includes scrapping the plan to send some migrants to Rwanda, which was a controversial policy. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has said that the new bill will give law enforcement the tools they need to stop people smugglers and disrupt their operations.

The bill also introduces strict penalties for those involved in illegal crossings. For example, migrants who delay rescue efforts until they reach UK waters could face up to five years in jail.

Similarly, those who sell or handle boat parts suspected of being used for illegal crossings could face up to 14 years in prison. However, the bill keeps some controversial measures, such as the power to detain children and restrictions on migrants claiming modern slavery protections, which Labour had opposed before coming into power.

In 2024, nearly 37,000 people crossed the Channel illegally, making it the deadliest year on record, with at least 78 deaths at sea. Smuggling gangs have been packing more and more people onto unsafe boats, putting lives at risk. Yvette Cooper has said that the new bill aims to disrupt these criminal gangs and bring those who profit from human suffering to justice. The bill also introduces stronger powers, such as making it easier to seize phones at the border and creating a new Border Security Command to coordinate efforts across different law enforcement agencies.

Despite these measures, critics like former Home Secretary Suella Braverman argue that the bill effectively decriminalizes illegal migration, making it easier for people to enter the UK illegally. Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, has accused Keir Starmer of being “weak” on border security and said the bill is a “total surrender to people smugglers.” He has vowed to fight against the bill when it comes to Parliament.

The Home Office, however, has defended the bill, saying that they have strong processes in place to verify the ages of migrants and assess their claims.

They mentioned the National Age Assessment Board, which uses scientific methods to determine age, as part of their efforts to maintain a fair and robust system. They also pointed out that some provisions from previous laws, like the Nationality and Borders Act 2022, will remain in place to ensure proper checks and balances.

Overall, the new bill has sparked a lot of debate, with supporters arguing that it will help stop criminal smuggling networks, while critics fear it will make the UK a more attractive destination for illegal migrants. The government insists that the bill strikes the right balance between security and fairness, but only time will tell how effective it will be in addressing the ongoing challenges of illegal migration.

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