Opinion: Bill will destroy the business model of evil people smugglers

The Illegal Migration Bill, currently going through the House of Commons, will stop people arriving in the UK illegally and mean if they do, they will not be able to stay here.

Instead they will be removed, either to their home country or a safe third country.

Removing the incentive to make the dangerous journey across the Channel is the right thing to do. It’s right for the UK and it’s right for those that are putting their lives in danger to come here illegally.

It also means that they will no longer be allowed to make late or spurious claims to delay removal whilst at the same time put an end to criminal gangs making a profit from people smuggling in Calais.

This bill is positive for our country, it will destroy the business model of evil people smugglers, stop deaths in the English Channel, and secure our borders. It is a no brainer. Yet Labour have opposed measures to stop small boats and secure our borders every step of the way.

In fact, Labour even voted against life sentences for people smugglers and new powers to remove foreign offenders. Many of their MPs worked with lawyers to stop deportation flights removing dangerous criminals from the UK.

Sir Keir Starmer himself has voted 30 times to block new laws protecting our borders. He also campaigned in the past as a lawyer, for foreign criminals to stay in the UK, some of whom went on to commit further crimes.

We need to take a tough approach on this crisis, as well as a humanitarian one. This Government is doing just that.

It is good news for Peterborough. I am sure all of you will by now know the situation of the Great Northern Hotel in the City Centre.

There will soon be an end to the use of hotels to accommodate migrants. Hotels such as the Great Northern will be stood down, and it will become a hotel again.

I have campaigned long and hard for this as regular readers of this column will no doubt already know.

Just this week I have tabled further questions to the Home Office, asking them to come up with a timetable of when this Hotel will be stood down.

Peterborough has a proud record of supporting asylum seekers. But the use of this hotel, in this way is a step too far and an abuse of generosity.

The Great Northern is the wrong hotel in the wrong place. We have a positive vision for Peterborough, and we have just secured £48 million to redevelop the Station Quarter.

This hotel is part of that. It’s not in anyone’s interests – not least the people themselves for it to be used in this way and with this new bill, hopefully the end of this is in sight.