Suella Braverman is being urged to reduce the number of asylum seekers crossing the Channel in small boats by creating a new “humanitarian visa” that would cap numbers and create a legal avenue for accessing the UK.
Rishi Sunak has made tackling Channel crossings one of his five priorities since entering Downing Street, despite concerns among his own ministers that it is not within his power to stop boats attempting the dangerous journey. The government is scrambling to examine a series of controversial measures that could be included in a forthcoming immigration bill, aimed at automatically blocking those who come to the UK on small boats from seeking asylum.
