One of Kemi Badenoch’s top team members has been caught admitting a major Brexit flaw – the loss of a key asylum returns process.
📢 The Brexit Border Problem
In a leaked recording obtained by Sky News, Chris Philp, now shadow home secretary, revealed that Britain’s exit from the EU has made it harder to return asylum seekers. The problem stems from leaving the Dublin Agreement – an EU rule that let member states return migrants to the first country where they claimed asylum.
Philp said, “We can’t any longer rely on sending people back to the place where they first claimed asylum.” He added that when checks were done, they found about half of those crossing the Channel had previously claimed asylum elsewhere in Europe.
🛂 The Brexit Pitch vs Reality
When the UK left the EU, Boris Johnson promised to “take back control” of borders. In 2020, Philp, then immigration minister, even suggested leaving the Dublin Agreement would give Britain a fresh start. He said, “The Dublin regulations do have a number of constraints… Of course, come the 1st of January, we’ll be outside of those Dublin regulations and the United Kingdom can take a fresh approach.”
But now, the leaked recording suggests those plans have hit a snag. Without the Dublin Agreement, the UK has struggled to return migrants to EU countries, forcing the government to find alternatives.
✈️ The Rwanda Plan
Philp said this gap is why the government announced its Rwanda plan in 2022. The scheme, aimed at sending asylum seekers to Rwanda, was meant to be a deterrent. But the plan has faced multiple legal challenges, including a block by the European Court of Human Rights.
🚧 No Quick Fix
Philp’s comments come as the government tries to negotiate a new returns agreement with France. Transport minister Lilian Greenwood recently said on Sky News, “This is not a short-term issue. It’s going to take really hard work to tackle those organised gangs… putting lives in danger as they try to cross the Channel.”
🗨️ Tories Defend Their Record
In response to the leaked clip, a Conservative Party spokesman insisted the party had a clear plan. “We created new deals with France, signed returns agreements with many countries across Europe, including a landmark agreement with Albania, and developed the Rwanda deterrent.”
He added, “Under new leadership, we are developing new policies that will put an end to this problem – including disapplying the Human Rights Act from immigration matters.”
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