Rishi Sunak talks tough on immigration but the ‘stop the boats’ slogan is not as straightforward as it seems
It is an image the government wants the world to see.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak standing behind a boldly branded “stop the boats” lectern, with a tough message on immigration.
Traditional solid Conservative ground, and a potential dividing line with Labour ahead of the next general election.
The practicalities may be enormous but the message is simple, as the PM put it: “If you come here illegally you can’t stay”.
Home Secretary Suella Braverman listens to Rishi Sunak
Sunak says ‘tough’ but ‘necessary’ small boats crackdown needed – latest political updates
The home secretary, Suella Braverman, accused in the past of inflammatory language, talked about “stopping waves of illegal immigrants from reaching our borders”.
Talk is one thing, delivery another.
The PM admitted himself on Tuesday that the bill is “not the magic bullet” but part of a wider strategy.
It is no coincidence that he is meeting President Emmanuel Macron on Friday, hoping a reset in relations with Europe will help with one of his biggest issues at home.
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What is new small boats bill?
The Illegal Migration Bill is something new and radical, but if it doesn’t act as a deterrent, it’s not clear how the government plans to detain and deport thousands of arrivals.
Capacity is being built up in Rwanda and I understand discussions are being had about offshore processing with more third countries.
But last year, 45,000 crossed the Channel and the asylum backlog is estimated to be 160,000.
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The “stop the boats” slogan is not as straightforward as it seems.
The PM’s full pledge was to “pass new laws to stop boats and make sure anyone who comes illegally is detained or removed”, stopping Channel crossings altogether is something quite different.
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Migrants determined to reach UK
Mr Sunak wouldn’t be drawn on setting specific targets, and without transparency on the numbers it will be hard to know how well the government is doing.
A fight in the courts, which the PM said he is “up for”, and images of just one packed flight heading to Rwanda by the next election sends a message to the electorate.
As for Labour, the shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper, unlike her predecessor Diane Abbott, was determined not to criticise the ethics of the government’s plan but instead its workability.
The party is treading a tricky political path on issues like Rwanda, and Labour know they need to convince voters they can be the party of tackling immigration.
“Super high-IQ revolutionaries” who are willing to work 80+ hours a week are being urged to join Elon Musk’s new cost-cutting department in Donald Trump’s incoming US government.
The X and Tesla owner will co-lead the Department Of Government Efficiency (DOGE) with former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.
And in a post on X, the official DOGE account put out a call to arms for people to sign up and help “dismantle government bureaucracy”.
The post said: “We are very grateful to the thousands of Americans who have expressed interest in helping us at DOGE.
“We don’t need more part-time idea generators.
“We need super high-IQ small-government revolutionaries willing to work 80+ hours per week on unglamorous cost-cutting.
“If that’s you, DM this account with your CV. Elon & Vivek will review the top 1% of applicants.”
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Elon Musk speaking at an event held at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate. Pic: AP Photo/Alex Brandon
In a reply to an interested party, Mr Musk suggested the lucky applicants would be working for free.
“Indeed, this will be tedious work, make lost of enemies & compensation is zero,” the world’s richest man wrote.
“What a great deal!”
When announcing the new department, President-elect Donald Trump said Mr Musk and Mr Ramaswamy “will pave the way for my administration to dismantle government bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure federal agencies”.
Mr Musk has previously made clear his desire to see cuts to “government waste” and in a post on his X platform suggested he could axe as many as three-quarters of the more than 400 federal departments in the US, writing: “99 is enough.”
At least 10 people have been killed after a fire broke out at a retirement home in northern Spain in the early hours of this morning, officials have said.
A further two people were seriously injured in the blaze at the residence in the town of Villafranca de Ebro in Zaragoza, according to the Spanish news website Diario Sur.
Two people remain in a critical condition following the blaze. Pic: AP
They remain in a critical condition, while several others received treatment for smoke inhalation.
Firefighters were alerted to the blaze at the residence – the Jardines de Villafranca – at 5am (4am UK time) on Friday.
Several residents were treated for smoke inhalation. Pic: AP
Those who were killed in the fire died from smoke inhalation, Spanish newspaper Heraldo reported.
The residence is home to 82 elderly residents.
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The blaze started in one of the rooms, Fernando Beltran, the national government’s top official in the region, told reporters.
All of the victims were elderly residents, he added.
Relatives wait for news outside the care home. Pic: AP
Fire crews, paramedics and police officers remain on site, said a spokesperson for the regional government of Aragon who confirmed the fatalities.
It took firefighters several hours to extinguish the blaze, they said.
The cause of the fire is unknown and is being investigated.
At least 10 people have been killed after a fire broke out at a retirement home in northern Spain in the early hours of this morning, officials have said.
A further two people were seriously injured in the blaze at the residence in the town of Villafranca de Ebro in Zaragoza, according to the Spanish news website Diario Sur.
Two people remain in a critical condition following the blaze. Pic: AP
They remain in a critical condition, while several others received treatment for smoke inhalation.
Firefighters were alerted to the blaze at the residence – the Jardines de Villafranca – at 5am (4am UK time) on Friday.
Several residents were treated for smoke inhalation. Pic: AP
Those who were killed in the fire died from smoke inhalation, Spanish newspaper Heraldo reported.
The residence is home to 82 elderly residents.
Read more from Sky News:
Mass displacement in Gaza – people unsure where to go
Donald Trump picks vaccine sceptic as health secretary
Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News
The blaze started in one of the rooms, Fernando Beltran, the national government’s top official in the region, told reporters.
All of the victims were elderly residents, he added.
Relatives wait for news outside the care home. Pic: AP
Fire crews, paramedics and police officers remain on site, said a spokesperson for the regional government of Aragon who confirmed the fatalities.
It took firefighters several hours to extinguish the blaze, they said.
The cause of the fire is unknown and is being investigated.
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