The Shadow Home Secretary has today asked an Urgent Question on the subject of the Government’s response to the recent Channel crossings.
Nick Thomas-Symonds MP’s intervention follows the tragic death of Abdulfatah Hamdallah, a Sudanese refugee who drowned whilst attempting to reach the UK from France. Introducing his remarks, Mr Thomas-Symonds offered his condolences to Mr Hamdallah’s family and said that his death served as a powerful reminder of the gravity of this issue.
This crisis has been worsened by the Conservative Government’s decision to systematically close off legal migration routes in spite of numerous warnings, including from the Select Committee on Foreign Affairs, that the collapse of safe routes would lead to an increase in sea crossings. In light of this Mr Thomas-Symonds MP described the closure of the Dubs amendment resettlement scheme as a profound error.
Mr Thomas-Symonds MP asked:
“Is it not the truth that the Government’s approach to this whole issue has, frankly, been defined by a lack of compassion and a lack of competence?”
The Shadow Home Secretary’s remarks can be viewed below, and read in full here: https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2020-09-02/debates/FFE64F53-0699-465A-92C0-205074A914BD/ChannelCrossingsInSmallBoats.
The Home Secretary was warned that the collapse of safe routes would lead to growing numbers of people taking to the sea - the Government’s approach to the situation in the English Channel has lacked compassion and competence: pic.twitter.com/DDdmwcSyBH
— Nick Thomas-Symonds MP (@NickTorfaen) September 2, 2020