Portrait of Rishi Sunak
Politician · policy
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Rishi Sunak on Immigration

Tough clampdown (strong)

TL;DR

Rishi Sunak is pursuing the toughest ever anti-illegal immigration law, focusing on immediate deterrence and processing claims swiftly to stop small boat crossings.

Key Points

  • He introduced the toughest anti-illegal immigration law ever, including "notwithstanding" clauses to disapply the Human Rights Act for Rwanda-related claims as of 2023-12-07.

  • If re-elected, he pledged that Parliament would vote each year on a legally-binding cap on migration, with the stated goal of halving migration numbers.

  • His government has secured agreements, such as with Albania, which resulted in a 90 per cent cut in small boat arrivals from that nation.

Summary

Rishi Sunak's core position on immigration is centered on taking a hardline stance against illegal entry, which he views as undermining national fairness and trust in the system. He has repeatedly pledged to deliver an effective deterrent to stop small boat crossings, arguing that those who respect the rules should not be undercut by those who break them. A key component of this strategy is the legislation aimed at sending asylum seekers to Rwanda, which he claims addresses the Supreme Court's concerns via a new international treaty and parliamentary sovereignty to prevent legal challenges from blocking removals.

His approach involves a wider strategy including increased illegal working raids and returning foreign nationals, alongside pledges for the future, such as a legally-binding annual cap on migration if re-elected, and processing all asylum claims within six months. While he emphasizes that his own family came to the UK legally, and he understands the desire for a better life, his administration has focused on legislative action to block various legal routes that migrants have previously used to remain in the country.

Key Quotes

This represents the single biggest measure of restriction on legal migration that anyone's announced in years. That should give people a sense of my determination to bring these numbers down.

Frequently Asked Questions

Rishi Sunak's position is to implement the toughest possible measures against illegal immigration, viewing it as undermining national fairness. He prioritizes stopping small boat crossings through deterrence, notably the plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda.

While his core rhetoric has hardened over time, especially regarding small boats, there has been an evolution in policy application and focus. He has faced pressure from within his party for not meeting previous promises to bring overall migration numbers down.

He has stated clearly that he will not allow a foreign court to block flights to Rwanda and that if the Strasbourg Court intervenes, he will take necessary action to get flights off. He claims small boat arrivals were down by a third in the year leading up to December 2023.