Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has admitted that women crossing the Channel in small boats have "probably been raped along the journey". In an interview, she said criminal gangs who are also people traffickers control who ends up in the north of France and boards a dinghy.
Ms Mahmood told The Rest is Politics: "The sifting of the people that end up in the north of France and are about to get on a dinghy is done by criminal gangs who are also, by the way, people traffickers. You can almost guarantee that every woman that's in the north of France has probably been raped along the journey. Some of the men too, they've certainly been abused and threatened."
UK to accept refugees from 'all over the world'
In the same interview, Ms Mahmood confirmed the UK will be "accepting people from all over the world" in "the not too distant future" under Labour's community sponsorship scheme for refugees. She also conceded that European capitals are refusing to take back small boat arrivals because they fear their own voters.
The Home Secretary acknowledged that the UK is "not in control of this border" and that European countries will not simply accept returns. She said: "I'm afraid we don't just get to say, 'France take them back', and they just take them back. That doesn't work. They have to agree to do that. Even if we just sent people on a plane and said, off you go, you're going straight back to France, they can turn that plane back and send it to us as well."
Home Office leaflet criticised
The Home Office has faced criticism after the Daily Express revealed the department is telling migrants not to rape or beat women. A controversial leaflet warns migrants that domestic abuse is illegal and that the age of consent in the UK is 16. It states: "Sex with someone under the age of 16 is a serious crime in the UK. There are no exceptions to this rule. Even if they say yes, it is still illegal. You could go to prison, lose your support and accommodation, and it will affect your asylum claim."
Migrants are also warned not to deny children food, or "cut or harm a girl's genitals".
Return hubs and the one-in, one-out deal
Labour's one-in, one-out migrant deal with France collapsed after talks broke down. Officials admitted too few people were removed under the scheme. Some 1,500 small boat arrivals were sent back to France, while "just under 1,500 individuals" moved the other way.
Ms Mahmood said the government wants to set up 'return hubs' for failed asylum seekers, where European nations would deport migrants to a third country until they can be returned home. She said: "If you're about to make that journey and you know that the end result will be a return to somewhere you don't want to go, it stops people from making the journey." She added that return hubs are "very much where ourselves and other countries in Europe are looking to take policy".
Community sponsorship scheme
Under Labour's new plan, community groups, charities, faith groups, and businesses will be able to sponsor people to move to the UK. The UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS) will reopen immediately, with around 25% of arrivals expected to be Afghan women and girls and Palestinians. The first arrivals are expected next year.
Ms Mahmood said: "We should be looking around the world, thinking of the sorts of communities to whom we can make a particular difference, whom we can integrate very quickly. In the not too distant future, we'll be accepting people from all over the world on a community sponsorship model. Universities will be able to sponsor students, refugee students, and companies will be able to sponsor refugee workers."
