Perhaps it was all just bad timing. But the fact US President Donald Trump’s state visit has been timed for the Parliamentary recess seems a little too convenient. Coming to the UK when MPs are away, Trump will not be granted the privilege of addressing Parliament. Nigel Farage has described this turn of events as “shoddy”, arguing the “cowardly” timing of the trip showed the government’s “real priority” is to favour relations with the EU.
If nothing else, Trump could have told the Labour government exactly how to fix an illegal border crisis. Since Trump assumed office in January, the number of people illegally crossing the Mexico-US border has dropped to levels not seen in decades. Border Patrol agents made just over 6000 arrests in June. More arrests, detentions and deportations – coupled with asylum refusals – have seen immigration numbers crash Stateside.
Love him or loathe him – and notwithstanding the fact America’s demographics have forever changed thanks to decades of illegal immigration – one cannot deny Trump’s effectiveness so far on this one issue. The fact Trump will be denied the chance to address Parliament is particularly poignant since only in the last few weeks the French President Emmanuel Macron was granted the opportunity.
Speaking of old Manu, Sir Keir Starmer’s one-in-one-out deal with France (which grants the French the sole right to decide who has come into Europe legitimately and can be shipped to Britain) is an affront to UK sovereignty. Worse still, it won’t work. As things stand – and with the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR) in place – any attempt to chuck out illegal immigrants is certain to be met with a tsunami of legal challenges.
Former top prosecution lawyer Sir Keir surely knows this. He also no doubt realises the next step will be an overture from Brussels for Brexit Britain to sign up to the EU’s much-maligned immigration-sharing migrant pact. Is this all about rejoining the EU through the backdoor? Who knows. But Sir Keir’s deal has more holes in it than an overused dinghy attempting another crossing across the English Channel.
Look, if you want illegal immigration to continue apace, then fine. But Labour shouldn’t BS the British people that it is serious about getting a grip on this issue when – like the equally feckless Tory government before – this government shows little interest in stopping illegal crossings, and brings about policies which are about as useless as a chocolate fireguard.
For polite society Trump may not have Macron’s finesse or poise, but he has – for now anyway – done exactly what he said he would. As countries as diverse as Japan and Poland prove, the only way to stop illegal immigration is simply to stop it. Just say no!
All else is window dressing. Trump may not be everyone’s cup of tea but on this one issue at least the man has delivered. He could have told MPs exactly how as well. By contrast, Macron – a man whose country has also lost control of its borders – was given a platform.
And Labour wonders why Reform is ahead in the polls. A no brainer really, isn’t it?
