IEA Head of Public Policy Matthew Lesh has written for City AM arguing that failure to tackle the increase in Channel crossings risks undermining the positive case for immigration.

Highlighting the challenge of tackling the surge in migration, Matthew wrote:

“The small boats put lives at risk and encourage exploitation by people smugglers, who are associated with the criminal underworld.

“Most agree this is far from ideal without a silver bullet solution. The Rwanda plan is not only costly and legally challenging but also not likely to be large enough in number to be a disincentive.”

But he emphasised the importance of not ignoring the issue:

“This does not, however, mean that the government should ignore the current situation. This has broader implications for our public debate. In “The Authoritarian Dynamic”, political psychologist Karen Stenner argues that an illiberal instinct is triggered when people feel that their family, community, or nation is under threat. If the public perceives the UK has lost control of its borders, they are likely to trigger demands for more closed border policies.”

The full article can be read here.