Many constituents across Gedling have shared their anger and frustration about small boats crossing the Channel - and the traffickers behind it - with Tom Randall MP. As well as constituents writing to Tom, this is an issue that is mentioned to him, unprompted, in the street and on the doorstep.
Tom Randall MP has listened to the concerns of his constituents and has raised the issue with Government on three occasions this month on behalf of those Gedling residents.
In the House of Commons on Wednesday 7 December, Tom Randall MP asked the Attorney General for assurance that frontline Border Force operatives are collaborating on the investigation and prosecution of the small boat pilots. The Attorney General confirmed that: “The Crown Prosecution Service is working closely with Border Force and immigration colleagues to tackle this dangerous offending.” She also mentioned that: “The Solicitor General, the Immigration Minister and I recently met a group of those colleagues, and were very impressed by their determination to work together.” You can listen to the question and answer here: Gedling MP questions the Attorney General on the prosecution of Channel crossing people traffickers - YouTube
Following the High Court ruling on Monday 19 December that the Government’s plan to remove asylum seekers from the United Kingdom to Rwanda is lawful, Tom Randall MP said that the Rwanda scheme is fair and will act as a deterrent, which will help allay the concerns of Gedling residents. In reply, the Minister for Immigration, Robert Jenrick, MP, said: “The point of the Rwanda scheme is to provide a significant deterrent, so that those coming here illegally never find a route to life here in the UK and so that we can focus our resources as a country on supporting those who really need to be here, through targeted resettlement schemes such as those for Ukraine, Syria and Afghanistan.”
In addition to raising these concerns of Gedling residents with Ministers in the House of Commons, Tom Randall MP voted in favour of the introduction of a law that would have ensured that asylum seekers arriving from safe countries are returned to that safe country. Although this Bill did not pass, the Conservative Government is committed to introducing further, tougher laws early next year.
Speaking after questioning Ministers, Tom said, “Week in, week out, Gedling residents tell me that the cycle of criminal people traffickers making thousands of pounds out of dangerous channel crossings and people entering the UK illegally must be broken. I agree and I am pleased the Attorney General is ensuring the Crown Prosecution Service is working with Border Force to investigate and prosecute those who are piloting the boats. I am also pleased that we are one step closer to flights to Rwanda finally taking off and I will be supporting the Government by voting in favour of new laws early next year.”
