Small boat migrants ‘at odds’ with British values: Suella Braverman

Home Secretary Suella Braverman has said many migrants who have illegally crossed the Channel to the UK’s shores are “at odds” with British values.

Her comment came after the House of Commons on Wednesday (26) passed the Illegal Immigration Bill which aims at barring the entry of asylum seekers arriving in small boats across the Channel.

Braverman said many people coming to the UK illegally were “getting quickly involved in the drugs trade, other exploitation, criminality and prostitution,”

“It is at odds with British values and unacceptable behaviour,” the home secretary told reporters.

She, however, did not single out any nationality of the criminals, although the police said many Albanians were heavily involved in cocaine trades in London and south-eastern England.

There are concerns in Britain that criminal gangs involving Albanians are into cannabis farming using agroponic techniques to grow the plants.

A total of 45,755 migrants crossed the Channel in 2022 and this was a record for a year since 2018 when the collection of figures began.

Nearly 16,000 Albanians sought asylum in the UK last year - this was the highest for any nationality - and figures show 67 per cent of them crossed the Channel illegally.

Braverman said her assessment of the involvement of migrants in crime was based on feedback from police chiefs rather than statistics.

According to the police, several people reported for drug supply had arrived in the UK on small boats.

“It is a notable feature of crime-fighting on the streets of England and Wales,” Braverman said.

She said the passage of the immigration bill in the lower house of Parliament was “another step on our way to delivering on the British people’s desire to stop the boats.”

The Conservative hardliner also slammed Labour for opposing the bill, saying the opposition lawmakers supported “uncontrolled migration.”