Boris Johnson’s speech on asylum: what he said – and what he meant
Our chief political commentator reads between the lines of the prime minister’s speech in Kent this morning
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Your support makes all the difference.What Boris Johnson said: For centuries, our United Kingdom has had a proud history of welcoming people from overseas, including many fleeing persecution.
What he really meant: You can hear the “but” coming already, can’t you?
What he said: My own great-grandfather came from Turkey in fear of his life, because our country offered sanctuary for his outspoken journalism.
What he meant: He should ideally have come via Rwanda, then part of German East Africa, but things were different then.
What he said: From the French Huguenots, to the Jewish refugees from Tsarist Russia, to the docking of the Empire Windrush, to the South Asians fleeing East Africa … all have wanted to be here because our United Kingdom is a beacon of openness and generosity.
What he meant: I am telling you that this is coming to an end.
What he said: Today that proud history of safe and legal migration is ultimately responsible for many of those working in our hospitals and on the front line of our response to the pandemic …
What he meant: Before we get to the “but” allow me to set out my anti-racist, pro-immigration credentials …
What he said: … for more than 60 per cent of the England football team at the final of Euro 2020 …
What he meant: (That’s the game with the round ball that is very popular with many voters.)
What he said: … and, I’m pleased to say … colleagues of mine like Nadhim Zahawi who escaped with his family from Saddam Hussein’s Iraq, Dominic Raab, whose Jewish father came to Britain from Czechoslovakia to escape Nazi Germany, and Priti Patel, whose family fled persecution in Uganda.
What he meant: Some of my best friends also have diverse back-stories.
What he said: So I’m proud that this government has continued the great British tradition of providing sanctuary to those in need … This includes almost 100,000 British Nationals Overseas threatened by draconian security laws in Hong Kong, 20,000 through our Syrian scheme, 13,000 from Afghanistan and to whom we owe debts of honour, and around 50,000 Ukrainians.
What he meant: Start with Hong Kongers, because everyone agrees with letting them come; skate swiftly over the bureaucratic obstacles thrown in the way of the rest.
What he said: Our compassion may be infinite, but our capacity to help people is not.
What he meant: Our compassion is limited.
What he said: It’s a striking fact that around seven out of 10 of those arriving in small boats last year were men under 40, paying people smugglers to queue jump.
What he meant: They are not real refugees, even though the courts say that two-thirds of them are. I respect the law.
What he said: The British people voted several times to control our borders – not to close them, but to control them.
What he meant: Leave voters in focus groups bring up the small boats crossing the Channel and say: “That’s not what I voted for.”
What he said: It is a plan that will ensure the UK has a world-leading asylum offer.
What he meant: No other country has an asylum policy like this.
What he said: These vile people smugglers are abusing the vulnerable and turning the Channel into a watery graveyard.
What he meant: Are we the baddies?
What he said: From today the Royal Navy will take over operational command from Border Force in the Channel, taking primacy for our operational response at sea.
What he meant: The braid-laden top brass don’t like it, but I’m going to bounce them into it.
What he said: From today, our new Migration and Economic Development Partnership will mean that anyone entering the UK illegally – as well as those who have arrived illegally since 1 January – may now be relocated to Rwanda.
What he meant: This will probably never happen, but announcing the scheme makes it look as if I’m trying.
What he said: This innovative approach – driven by our shared humanitarian impulse and made possible by Brexit freedoms – will provide safe and legal routes for asylum.
What he meant: It has nothing to do with Brexit – Denmark has signed a similar deal with Rwanda.
What he said: Economic migrants taking advantage of the asylum system will not get to stay in the UK, while those in genuine need will be properly protected, including with access to legal services on arrival in Rwanda, and given the opportunity to build a new life in that dynamic country.
What he meant: You have a bright and exciting future in a fantasy land far, far away.
What he said: Rwanda is one of the safest countries in the world.
What he meant: As long as you don’t criticise Paul Kagame, who is a great and benevolent leader.
What he said: We are confident that our new Migration Partnership is fully compliant with our international legal obligations.
What he meant: It is obviously illegal (but we haven’t actually checked whether it is legal yet).
What he said: … but nevertheless we expect this will be challenged in the courts [by] a formidable army of politically motivated lawyers.
What he meant: Bring it on. I shall go to battle against people like Keir Starmer. It’s a win-win for me.
What he said: So I know that this system will not take effect overnight.
What he meant: It’s just for show. I wanted to announce it last week but Priti said it “wasn’t ready”. I said, “Of course it’s not ready. It’s never going to be ready. I’m in a hole and I need something to announce.”
What he said: This is the government that refuses to duck the difficult decisions.
What he meant: This is the government that will put the Labour Party on the spot. Our plan may be unworkable, but they haven’t even got a plan.
What he said: I profoundly believe there is simply no other option.
What he meant: I have been tearing my hair out over Priti’s ideas for wave machines in the Channel.
What he said: It’s clear that there are extremely limited circumstances when you can safely do this [turn back small boats] in the English Channel. And it doesn’t help that this approach, I don’t think, would be supported by our French partners.
What he meant: Emmanuel has no interest in helping me out. I understand that. I wouldn’t help him.
What he said: I know there will be a vocal minority who will think these measures are draconian and lacking in compassion. I simply don’t agree. There is no humanity or compassion in allowing desperate and innocent people to have their dreams of a better life exploited by ruthless gangs, as they are taken to their deaths in unseaworthy boats.
What he meant: I will ruthlessly suggest that Yvette Cooper, the shadow home secretary, is prepared to let people drown.
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What he said: The people smugglers are undermining confidence in our borders.
What he meant: This issue is killing me in the opinion polls.
What he said: I believe this plan is the right way forward because the people smugglers must be stopped in order to save countless lives.
What he meant: The plan is cruel and unworkable, but Labour’s alternative is to do nothing. Vote cruel and unworkable.
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