Deadly games
THERE are two reasons to stop the small boats. To close the illegal back door into Britain and to save lives.
The latest appalling tragedy in the Channel graphically proves the urgent need for the latter.
The appalling tragedy in the English Channel shows why a deterrent is necessary to destroy the business model of the smuggling gangsReuters
And it shows why a deterrent is vital to end the lure of our country for illegal migrants and to destroy the business model of the smuggling gangs.
Labour hypocritically crows that the Rwanda scheme has failed, despite it not yet being operational as a specific result of the two-year delay brought about by the Left’s own MPs, peers, lawyers and judges.
Its stance is cynical, unprincipled and utterly incoherent.
Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper would consider “anything that works”.
But not Rwanda, which she would scrap even if it works. Eh?
Labour is even considering “off-shoring” migrants . . . just not in Rwanda.
Their sole desire is a “win”. They just don’t want the Tories to stop the boats.
Their parlour games trump Britain’s interests and even saving lives.
And Ms Cooper’s bizarre position may already have scuppered the Rwanda deterrent before its launch.
Migrants know Labour is likely to win power. They will see deportation as a tiny risk if they only have to delay it in court long enough for a new Government to axe it.
So after blocking the sole idea that could genuinely end this lethal crisis, Labour has begun sabotaging it for party political advantage.
What a disgrace.
Force awakens
RISHI Sunak’s major boost to our defence is hugely welcome.
No, it’s not the three per cent of GDP The Sun wanted and ex-Defence Secretary Ben Wallace called for.
The Tories should promise that in their manifesto — and challenge Labour to match it.
But our forces have been pared back to terrifying levels. Fixing that is right and long overdue.
Some will dispute the PM’s claim that spending 2.5 per cent by 2030 puts us on a “war footing”.
What it WILL do is place us among the top Nato contributors.
If others follow our lead it should transform our combined strength.
The PM has cemented a pledge first made by Boris Johnson and which, for Labour, is merely an aspiration for when finances allow.
Labour is right to question where the cash is coming from.
Some £3billion is from hacking back the bloated civil service. Great. About time.
It would be good to hear how the rest will be raised.
Credit, though, to the PM for speaking bluntly of the danger from the despotic and allied regimes of Russia, China, Iran and North Korea.
Our immediate priority must be continuing to shore up Ukraine with weapons and aid.
Let that brave, violated nation fall to Putin’s tyranny and the threat to the West will suddenly seem very much more real.