Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has announced an additional £100 million to deter Channel crossings, including funding for up to 300 more National Crime Agency officers and new technology to target people-smuggling gangs. The move comes as protests outside asylum seeker hotels escalate across the UK.
The funding will support a 'one in, one out' returns agreement with France, allowing the UK to send people back in exchange for asylum seekers with links to Britain. Critics question the scheme's scale, noting it may only involve up to 50 people per week.
Protests have spread to hotels in Islington, Canary Wharf, and Epping, with clashes and arrests. In Canary Wharf, officers intervened after flares were set off and protesters tried to breach fencing. Nine people were arrested in Islington on Saturday.
A University of Oxford study found £20 billion was spent on migrant-welcoming schemes over ten years, with a £10 billion overspend on asylum accommodation but little focus on integration. Researcher Jacqueline Broadhead urged the government to invest in community cohesion.
Cooper also plans a fast-track scheme to clear the asylum backlog, aiming for decisions within weeks. Additionally, a new offence for advertising illegal small boat crossings will be introduced under the border security bill.
