Streeting Faces Embarrassment Over Labour’s Return of Only 42 Migrants Since August
Wes Streeting, the UK Health Secretary, faced scrutiny regarding Labour’s handling of its migrant policy during a recent interview. Since the implementation of the ‘one-in-one out’ migrant scheme with France, only 42 migrants have been returned.
Labour’s Migrant Scheme Under Fire
The policy launched on August 5 has seen a significant influx of migrants. According to data presented during the interview on the Sky breakfast show with Trevor Phillips, 11,518 individuals have crossed into the UK in small boats since the program began.
Cost of the Scheme
The financial implications of the agreement with France are noteworthy. The UK has allocated £34 million to support the initiative during this period. Each returned migrant reportedly costs around £800,000 to the British government.
Response from Wes Streeting
- Streeting urged for fairness in evaluating the scheme’s performance.
- He indicated that the current figures do not represent all deportations.
- Furthermore, he emphasized that returns are not limited solely to France.
This situation paints a complex picture of Labour’s approach to immigration and its effectiveness in managing cross-Channel migration. The need for a comprehensive strategy remains clear as the number of arrivals continues to rise.
