Cooper accused by Labour MP of ‘scapegoating’ migrants over asylum plans

A Labour MP has accused Yvette Cooper of “scapegoating” asylum seekers, as the Home Secretary unveiled reforms to the border security and asylum system.

Kim Johnson called for “more humane policies”, such as safe routes for migrants, as she criticised the Government’s plans.

Fellow Labour MP Graham Stringer also criticised the proposals, arguing that they “don’t really deal with the fact that many migrants are not coming from war-torn countries”.

Speaking in the Commons, Ms Johnson, Liverpool Wavertree MP, said: “In the Home Secretary’s statement, she has stated that she will never seek to stir up chaos, hatred and division. Yet that’s what we’ve seen this summer, with the far-right emboldened because of racism and demonisation in the media and from politicians.

“And instead of scapegoating refugees and asylum seekers, maybe the Home Secretary needs to be thinking about more humane policies, including safe routes employment and right to remain. So can you explain whether these policies have and will be considered?”

In her reply, Ms Cooper said immigration should be approached “in a way that pulls our country together, rather than see division and tension continue”.

She also said: “Part of the French pilot scheme involves people who apply lawfully to come to the UK and go through proper security checks, being able to do so on a one-for-one basis, with those being returned who have arrived on dangerous small boats in the hands of criminal gangs.

“We’ve also set out, as part of the statement I’ve just made, our intention to have a permanent framework for refugee students to be able to come to the UK.”

Mr Stringer, MP for Blackley and Middleton South, said: “I don’t envy the Home Secretary trying to clear up the mess that the last government left on migration.

“I doubt, however, that the measures she’s putting before the House at the present time will be as successful as she and I would wish them to be.

“They don’t really deal with the fact that many migrants are not coming from war-torn countries. They’re coming from France, which is not persecuting them in any recognisable form.

“The reason is demand pull from this country, which migrants believe they will have a better time and an easier time and get through the system more easily than they would in France and other European countries.

“Denmark has been successful in reducing the demand pull. If these measures aren’t as successful as she would wish them to be, will she look more closely at what Denmark has done to improve the situation?”

Ms Cooper replied: “He’s right to say that obviously small boats are mainly setting off from France, people have travelled through France, but that is exactly why we have negotiated the pilot agreement with France, to be able to return people back to France.”

She added: “We also need to tackle some of those pull factors, particularly around illegal working. That is why we have had a 50% increase in illegal raids and arrests.

“And also to recognise that the family reunion issue is being used by some of those criminal gangs as well, and that is one of the things that Denmark has done, which is to increase the time before refugees can apply for family reunion, so that they are more likely to be working, more likely to be supporting their families, and so that … they prevent criminal gangs being able to use it as a pull factor.”