The PM Rishi Sunak’s proposals to deport asylum seekers without considering their claims amount to a “clear breach” of international law, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has said.
It comes as Macron is set to reject Rishi Sunak’s return plan for small boat migrants. Rishi Sunak to meet the French president in Paris in Brexit charm offensive, reports The Times.
An EU diplomat told the Times: “Why would Macron take back Brexit Britain’s returns when other EU members, like Italy, are not following the Europe rules? It will not happen.”
Who has he charmed in Europe?
Well, he has got support from some far-right figures in Europe.
Italy’s far-right deputy prime minister, Matteo Salvini, has praised Rishi Sunak’s anti-immigration measures as “harsh but fair”.
In a post on Instagram, Salvini, leader of the far-right League, quoted a tweet by Sunak, translated into Italian, in which Sunak said: “If you arrive illegally in the UK, you can’t claim asylum; you can’t benefit from our modern slavery protections; you can’t make spurious human rights claims; you can’t stay”.
Beneath the post, Salvini wrote: “Words from the UK prime minister. Harsh but fair.”
Submersion by migrants
Also Sunak has for support from Éric Zemmour, the French far-right commentator, supporter of the “great replacement” theory that Muslim immigrants are replacing native Europeans.
In a tweet yesterday, Zemmour said: “The message is clear. In the UK, illegal immigrants are not welcome and will receive no preferential treatment.
“Congratulations to the British prime minister who, unlike Macron’s government, has chosen to protect his people against submersion by migrants.”
The SNP’s Stephen Flynn asked Sunak: “From whom are his government taking inspiration: Nigel Farage or Enoch Powell?”
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