In a major policy address, Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has launched a scathing attack on the Conservative government's handling of the asylum system, branding it a "complete failure" that has come at a "huge cost" to taxpayers.
Setting out Labour's alternative plan, Cooper committed to immediately scrapping the controversial and stalled Rwanda deportation scheme upon entering government. She lambasted the policy as an expensive "gimmick" that has failed to deter Channel crossings.
A New Enforcement Unit to Clear the Backlog
The centrepiece of Labour's new strategy is the creation of a dedicated Returns and Enforcement Unit, funded by the money saved from axing the Rwanda deal. This specialised unit would be tasked with two primary objectives:
- Fast-tracking asylum decisions: Streamlining the process to clear the massive backlog of cases that has built up under the current government.
- Removing those with no right to stay: Focusing on efficiently processing the removal of individuals whose asylum claims have been rejected.
Cooper emphasised that the current system is broken, with failing returns agreements and a plummeting number of enforced removals allowing people to "disappear into the black economy."
Condemning Government Mismanagement
The Labour frontbencher didn't hold back in her criticism of the incumbent administration. She accused the Tories of presiding over a collapse in enforcement and of being "hopelessly divided" amongst themselves, leading to policy paralysis.
"The Rwanda scheme is a costly distraction from the urgent need to restore order to the asylum system," Cooper stated, arguing that the £140 million allocated to Rwanda could be far better spent on bolstering Britain's border security and enforcement capabilities.
This announcement signals Labour's intent to make a robust and pragmatic approach to immigration and border control a key battleground in the upcoming general election, contrasting their plan with what they describe as the government's chaotic and ineffective policies.
