Immigration is one of the issues people raise with me most often. The message I hear across West Cumbria is clear: Britain should remain a country that offers sanctuary to people fleeing war and persecution, but we must also have firm control of our borders and an asylum system that is fair, orderly and properly enforced.
For too long, that system has not worked as it should. Decisions have taken far too long, appeals have become backlogged, taxpayers have faced costs and criminal gangs have profited from dangerous Channel crossings. When rules are not enforced and cases drag on for months or years, confidence falls – including confidence in our proud tradition of helping those genuinely in need.
That is why I support the Government’s new Immigration and Asylum Bill.
The Bill will create a new independent immigration appeals authority to tackle a backlog of around 150,000 cases, where people currently wait an average of 61 weeks for an appeal to be heard. Faster decisions will be fairer for those with a genuine claim and will mean that people with no right to remain can be removed more quickly.
It will also tighten the application of Article 8 family-life rights, ensuring that courts balance individual circumstances against the wider public interest, particularly where serious criminals are involved. At the same time, the interests of children will remain central to decisions that affect them.
The Bill will strengthen protections for genuine victims of modern slavery, including a dedicated independent guardian for every trafficked and exploited child. But it will also tackle false documents, last-minute claims made simply to frustrate removal and the abuse of safeguards that should be reserved for real victims.
Alongside tougher enforcement, the Government will introduce controlled, capped routes allowing genuine refugees to come to Britain legally to work or study. That matters. A credible system must provide protection to people fleeing conflict without leaving them dependent on smugglers and dangerous small boats.
There has already been progress. The number of people awaiting an initial asylum decision has fallen sharply from its peak, asylum hotels are closing, illegal-working enforcement has increased and nearly 70,000 people with no right to remain – including thousands of foreign national offenders – have been returned since the election. Almost £1 billion has been saved in asylum-support costs as a result.
But nobody should pretend the job is finished. Rebuilding order will take time, enforcement and co-operation with other countries.
My view is straightforward. We can be compassionate without being naive, and firm without losing our humanity. Britain should always protect those genuinely fleeing danger. But the rules must mean something, decisions must be made quickly and those with no right to remain must be removed. That is how we restore public confidence and build an immigration system that is fair, controlled and fit for the future.
Josh MacAlister MP 