The Home Secretary has refused to put a timescale on when the Government’s plans to stop small boats crossing the Channel will succeed.
The Government is set to publish legislation designed to stop migrants crossing the English Channel to the UK in small boats, as one of Rishi Sunak’s top five priorities in the run-up to the next general election.
But Suella Braverman and Mr Sunak have faced questions about the timeframe for that commitment.
I'm not going to put a timescale on it, but what I am going to say is it's going to take as long as it will take— Suella Braverman
Speaking to ITV News, Ms Braverman appeared to suggest that Government plans would have made an impact in 12 months’ time before appearing to row back on the suggestion.
“You can judge me on results. Words don’t matter. We have told you that we want to stop the boats. You will come here in a year or so and it’ll be very clear whether we’ve succeeded or not,” she said.
“We will see a dramatic reduction in the numbers arriving illegally.”
Asked if that would happen in a year, she said: “I’m not going to put a timescale on it, but what I am going to say is it’s going to take as long as it will take.
“It is absolutely essential that we do whatever it takes to stop the boats. To that, I am 100% committed.”
It came as Ms Braverman visited a police station in Brighton.
She told the broadcaster she was “very confident” in the Government’s plans.
“Stopping the boats means fixing our problem relating to illegal migration,” she said when quizzed about Mr Sunak’s pledge.
The Government has been under serious pressure from Tory backbenchers over the issue, with some calling for more urgent action from Mr Sunak.
Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper called the remarks “shambolic & embarrassing”.
“Rishi Sunak made this one of his Government’s key pledges yet his Home Secretary who is supposed to deliver it clearly doesn’t have a clue what it means.
“Time & again the Tories are all bluster & rhetoric with no serious plan.”
