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This week Sky News has been identifying the gaps in Britain’s border defences.

As the number of small boats crossing the Channel breaks new records and European countries brace for a new wave of people fleeing Afghanistan, the issue is rising up the public consciousness once more.

Ministers are meant to be able now to deliver on their promise to take back control post Brexit. So why does it not yet feel like that to some?

The government response to this issue is being led by Home Secretary Priti Patel. Nobody would doubt her right-wing credentials, and interestingly she has had plaudits from across the political spectrum for her handling of the migration aspects of the Afghanistan crisis.

Home Secretary Priti Patel talking to a refugee from Afghanistan who arrived on a evacuation flight at Heathrow Pic: AP
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Home Secretary Priti Patel talking to a refugee from Afghanistan who arrived on a evacuation flight at Heathrow Pic: AP

Her answer to the questions around Britain’s borders is the Nationality and Borders Bill currently in committee stage in the House of Commons. But does it answer the problems, many of which are caused beyond Britain’s borders?

One area of concern is the Mediterranean where people flee from countries like Tunisia, often aided by people smugglers. Sky News’ Adam Parsons talked to people smugglers acting with impunity, little worried about the consequences.

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Italian island is migrant gateway to EU

Tom Tugendhat, Tory chair of the foreign affairs select committee told Sky News the answer is to send more
Royal Navy vessels to help in the Med.

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“Our great strength we have with NATO allies around is that our border doesn’t start at Dover, it starts at the southern tip of Italy and Greece – working together and making sure these borders are defended and reinforced is exactly what we should be doing… but need to do more.

“Not about being kind to Italians. Its about defending ourselves further out.”

The Nationality and Borders Bill tightens the penalties for people smugglers in an attempt to tackle the problem.

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Tracking migrants with French Border Police

Another issue comes when migrants who have made it to the EU then try and cross the Channel to Britain. Sky News’ Michelle Clifford found that while French authorities would stop anyone still on land who looked like they would be attempting to cross the Channel, they would not stop boats once they were in the water, even when it was under French control.

They blame international law, thought many in Britain including MPs on the home affairs select committee claim the French are wrongly interpreting this.

Tim Loughton, Tory member of the home affairs select committee, said the French interpretation was “completely wrong”.

He added “We have evidence from maritime international lawyers – they made it clear that French authorities have power to intercept and repatriate passengers on boats, but actually have an obligation under international law – people on boats guilty of trying to enter UK illegally and paying organised crime to facilitate that journey, that would give grounds to French authorities to apprehend people, that is only what is going to stop that horrendous trade – people paying money to people smugglers, highly likely with them being taking back…that could stop that miserable trade stone dead.”

Asked why the British government hasn’t succeeded in convincing French they’re wrong, he said: “It’s all excuses, we made it clear – French claiming it’s a different interpretation, that’s wrong – also internal politics going on, a big row with those who run Calais and the federal government. They’re each trying to make it each other’s problem.”

The Nationality and Borders Bill will mark a serious attempt to block illegal immigration, alongside the new post Brexit points based entry system.

It will make it easier to return some illegal asylum seekers more quickly, make some asylum seekers apply before they reach UK shores and give border officials powers to turn back boats in UK waters.

But this does not – and cannot – stop Britain being an attractive country for economic migrants and asylum seekers.

Alp Mehmet, Chairman of Migration Watch said that Britain would remain a country many aspire to live in so more had to be done to turn back illegal arrivals.

“Britain is an attractive country, so is France, US – most people wanted to got to the US first, we are part of wider picture of prosperous civilised fun countries.

“A lot of those coming are young man who want a better life – we are part of the story, in a way we have create the opportunity for a lot of Afghans to want to come here.”

But he added that once here, many were treated generously with little chance of being sent back.

“One of the principle reasons why the traffickers are able to sell Britain as the destination of choice is that having arrived here there’s very little chance of being sent back – very few people who apply for asylum and fail actually are sent back.

“That is a huge factor, while they’re here, we look after – hotels, detention centres that have been used – even these are not bad accommodations, there is a bit of money given for people to spend.

“Once you’re in the system you’re looked after – people see messages coming across, it is all made to be very attractive.”

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US lawmakers tap Saylor, Lee to advance Bitcoin reserve bill

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US lawmakers tap Saylor, Lee to advance Bitcoin reserve bill

US lawmakers tap Saylor, Lee to advance Bitcoin reserve bill

Strategy’s Michael Saylor and BitMine’s Tom Lee are among 18 industry leaders who will look at ways to pass the BITCOIN Act and enable budget-neutral ways to buy Bitcoin.

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Super PAC backing ‘pro-crypto candidates‘ raises $100M

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Super PAC backing ‘pro-crypto candidates‘ raises 0M

Super PAC backing ‘pro-crypto candidates‘ raises 0M

The Fellowship PAC, launched in August, said it had “over $100 million” from unnamed sources to support the White House’s digital asset strategy.

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Starmer was aware of the risks of appointing the ‘Prince of Darkness’ as his man in Washington – to an extent

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Starmer was aware of the risks of appointing the 'Prince of Darkness' as his man in Washington - to an extent

It was a prescient and – as it turned out – incredibly optimistic sign off from Peter Mandelson after eight years as Chancellor of Manchester Metropolitan University.

“I hope I survive in my next job for at least half that period”, the Financial Times reported him as saying – with a smile.

As something of a serial sackee from government posts, we know Sir Keir Starmer was, to an extent, aware of the risks of appointing the ‘Prince of Darkness’ as his man in Washington.

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But in his first interview since he gave the ambassador his marching orders, the prime minister said if he had “known then what I know now” then he would not have given him the job.

For many Labour MPs, this will do little to answer questions about the slips in political judgement that led Downing Street down this disastrous alleyway.

Like the rest of the world, Sir Keir Starmer did know of Lord Mandelson’s friendship with the paedophile Jeffrey Epstein when he sent him to Washington.

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The business secretary spelt out the reasoning for that over the weekend saying that the government judged it “worth the risk”.

Keir Starmer welcomes Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte to Downing Street.
Pic: PA
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Keir Starmer welcomes Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte to Downing Street.
Pic: PA

This is somewhat problematic.

As you now have a government which – after being elected on the promise to restore high standards – appears to be admitting that previous indiscretions can be overlooked if the cause is important enough.

Package that up with other scandals that have resulted in departures – Louise Haigh, Tulip Siddiq, Angela Rayner – and you start to get a stink that becomes hard to shift.

But more than that, the events of the last week again demonstrate an apparent lack of ability in government to see round corners and deal with crises before they start knocking lumps out of the Prime Minister.

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‘Had I known then, what I know now, I’d have never appointed him’ Starmer said.

Remember, for many the cardinal sin here was not necessarily the original appointment of Mandelson (while eyebrows were raised at the time, there was nowhere near the scale of outrage we’ve had in the last week with many career diplomats even agreeing the with logic of the choice) but the fact that Sir Keir walked into PMQs and gave the ambassador his full throated backing when it was becoming clear to many around Westminster that he simply wouldn’t be able to stay in post.

The explanation from Downing Street is essentially that a process was playing out, and you shouldn’t sack an ambassador based on a media enquiry alone.

But good process doesn’t always align with good politics.

Something this barrister-turned-politician may now be finding out the hard way.

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