Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey has called for Nigel Farage to apologize for his involvement in the small boat crisis. Speaking at his party’s conference in Bournemouth, Sir Ed criticized Farage, attributing the surge in Channel crossings to the loss of return agreements post-Brexit. He emphasized that before Brexit, the UK had 27 return agreements with EU countries, enabling the return of individuals, a process that was disrupted after Brexit.
Sir Ed highlighted the impact of losing access to the Dublin agreement due to Brexit, which allowed asylum seekers to be sent back to the first country they reached. He argued that this change contributed to the increase in migrants arriving in the UK, as the country lost the ability to return individuals to Europe.
At a conference event, there was a discussion about renaming small boats crossing the Channel as “Brexit boats.” This suggestion aimed to draw attention to the consequences of Brexit on migration patterns. The proposal received support from some delegates, who believed that associating the term with Brexit would provide a clear message.
Critics have challenged Sir Ed’s stance, claiming that the Dublin agreement was flawed and would not have fully addressed the current challenges. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp accused Sir Ed of distorting facts, pointing out that a small percentage of outgoing requests under the Dublin agreement were approved.
Official data from the Home Office revealed that between 2015 and 2018, the UK made numerous outgoing requests to transfer individuals to other EU states, with only a fraction being successfully relocated. Similarly, incoming requests to transfer individuals to the UK were granted in a portion of cases, indicating the complexities of the asylum transfer process.
The ongoing debate underscores the implications of Brexit on migration policies and the need for a comprehensive approach to address the small boat crisis.