A union representing coastguards and Border Force officials has called on Suella Braverman to resign as home secretary following the deaths of at least four people in the English Channel.
The call from the PCS union comes after a refugee charity said the government had “blood on its hands” because of its failure to offer safe and legal routes for asylum seekers to register their claims in the UK.
Downing Street today insisted that the allegation was “not appropriate” in the wake of the tragic capsize of a migrant boat in freezing conditions off Kent.
Ms Braverman told the Commons the tragedy was “the most sobering reminder possible of why we have to end these crossings”, and vowed there would be new legislation to end criminal gangs.
But Paul O’Connor of the PCS said the home secretary’s “ring utterly hollow” after she refused to adopt the safe passage policy which the union put forward last week to stop the perilous small boat crossings.
Under the policy, proposed jointly with charity Care4Calais, refugees would be granted a visa for travel purposes only, so that they can cross the Channel safely in order to claim asylum in the UK. If their claim failed, they would be removed.
Mr O’Connor said: “Today’s tragedy, coming just over twelve months after 32 people tragically lost their lives in the Channel, was entirely avoidable.
“The Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, says her heartfelt thoughts are with all those involved. Those words ring utterly hollow when she has spent her time as Home Secretary vilifying and demonising the very people she now feigns sympathy with. She should resign in disgrace.
“PCS wrote to the home secretary only last week providing her with a ready-made solution to these dangerous crossings.
“Our solution would allow safe passage for refugees and would destroy the business model of the people smugglers in one fell swoop.
“Instead of seizing on that solution, the prime minister, Rishi Sunak, decided to yesterday double down on the demonisation of these vulnerable people rather than provide them with safety. This tragedy should force him to reflect and rethink his government’s position.”
Mr O’Connor said that the thoughts of the PCS were with those caught up in this morning’s tragedy and their loved ones, as well as with all those involved in the search and rescue operation.
These included “our members in Border Force and the Coastguards Agency who are consistently at the sharp end of dealing with these distressing situations”, he said.
And he added: “PCS has long argued for the dismantling of the hostile environment for refugees and its replacement with an asylum system based on humanity.
“How many more deaths is going to take before this government abandons its callous indifference to human life?”
