Migrants will enter Britain faster despite the Government’s plans to reform the asylum system, the shadow home secretary has warned. Chris Philp said the plans to fast-track asylum appeals to curb judges’ power and expedite deportations is not enough. He claimed judges would still over-interpret human rights laws to let migrants in.
Mr Philp suggested the fast-track tribunals just would mean asylum seekers get a faster ruling, which could allow them to stay in the country as appeals are likely to be upheld. He told The Telegraph: “These tweaks go nowhere near far enough. The underlying rights, which allow most illegal immigrants to stay here, are not changing. Simply waving illegal immigrants through even faster to full housing and welfare rights will not fix the problem.
“And immigration judges will still apply ever-expanding common-sense defying definitions of ECHR rights to allow foreign criminals and illegal immigrants to stay here.”
He added: “This year has been the worst in history for illegal immigrants crossing the Channel and we’ve seen the highest number of asylum claims for a quarter of a century. These tiny tweaks will not change that.
“The Government is too weak to do what’s really needed – such as repeal the Human Rights Act for all immigration matters and deport all illegal immigrants immediately upon arrival, which Conservatives would do.”
There are currently around 51,000 asylum appeals waiting to be heard, with each decision taking a year on average.
Appeal delays are also believed to be the biggest strain on asylum accommodation amid measures to speed up initial judgements.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said “completely unacceptable” delays in the appeals process left failed asylum seekers in the system for years.
The Government plans to set up a new independent panel focused on asylum appeals to help reduce the backlog. It will use professionally-trained adjudicators, rather than relying on judges.
Ministers are also introducing a new 24-week deadline for the first-tier tribunal to determine asylum appeals by those receiving accommodation support and appeals by foreign offenders.
The Home Secretary said the overhaul would result in a system that is “swift, fair and independent, with high standards in place”.
The Home Office has been contacted for comment.
