I voted against the Government’s Illegal Migration Bill. However, due to the Government’s majority it passed its remaining Commons stages anyway. The Bill is now in the House of Lords – further updates will be available here. This process usually takes weeks, but the Government rushed the Bill through in just a few hours. Legislation with such huge ramifications for vulnerable asylum seekers deserves proper scrutiny; I am deeply disappointed that the Government refused to let MPs review the Bill effectively.
 
The dangerous Channel crossings need to stop – they put asylum seekers’ lives at risk and fund criminal gangs. However, the Government’s approach is immoral, illegal, and simply won’t work. Labour would reform resettlement schemes to give asylum seekers safe and legal routes to come into the UK.