PCS Safe Passage policy is the solution to small boat crossings
Suella Braverman has been unceremoniously sacked as home secretary. Our members in the Home Office will shed no tears – her tenure marked by an ever more draconian and hostile environment for refugees and our members who work for the department.
Braverman stooped to a new low last week when she issued what was effectively a clarion call to fascists to confront a peace march designed to stop the unfolding humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. The call was duly heard and resulted in the disgraceful scenes at the Cenotaph, with fascist thugs attacking the police. The backlash has rightly caused her downfall.
Braverman's successor as home secretary, James Cleverly, has been portrayed by the Conservative party as someone who will "stop the boats". PCS is clear that he will not succeed if he pursues the path taken by his predecessor, which has been characterised by one failure after another. £140 million has been paid to Rwanda to no avail. Billions of pounds have been spent on initiatives with France to break up the model of the people smugglers. None of it has acted as an effective deterrent.
PCS believes that our policy of Safe Passage, developed in conjunction with Care4Calais, provides the solution to the small boat crossings. It will protect the lives of refugees and the working environment of our members at the sharp end. It is a humane alternative to the inhumanity of the Rwanda policy.
PCS head of bargaining, Paul O'Connor, who has led the union's work in this area, said: “Suella Braverman has learnt the hard way that if you fan the flames of fascism, you are going to get burned. We are in a very dangerous moment that requires politicians with cool heads who can create unity in society, not division.
It is time for the Tories to rethink their entire strategy on asylum. They need to stop the demonisation of refugees which they are using to mask their catastrophic failings on people's living standards. Otherwise, we will continue to see the type of scenes that unfolded over the weekend.
We call upon James Cleverly to adopt a more progressive approach, beginning with the adoption of our policy on Safe Passage. It is the only practical solution to stopping the dangerous small boat crossings. We are witnessing enough inhumanity in the world as it is and no politician should be seeking to add to it."