Theresa May and Boris Johnson Unite to Demand Border Controls at Tory Conference

Strategic Insights -

Theresa May, the UK Home Secretary, and Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, yesterday triggered a heated debate on immigration at the Tory party conference. In scathing speeches, the two prominent politicians called for robust border controls to be implemented in the UK, with May accusing asylum seekers of "conning" their way into the country and Johnson insisting that immigration should be a key focus of the Prime Minister's EU renegotiation talks.

Key Takeaways:

  • Theresa May announced plans to overhaul existing asylum rules, citing tens of thousands of asylum seekers as "conning" their way into the UK.
  • May vowed to introduce Safe Return Reviews to send asylum seekers back home if conditions in their own country improve.
  • Boris Johnson insisted that immigration should be at the forefront of David Cameron's EU renegotiation talks.
  • Johnson argued that the number of migrants coming to the UK is unsustainable and said it should be up to the UK Parliament to decide if too many people are arriving.
  • The two politicians' speeches marked a rare display of unity on the issue of immigration between May and Johnson, who are also competing for the Conservative Party leadership.
  • Theresa May announced plans to take "retaliatory" measures against countries refusing to take their citizens back, including hitting universities that fail to track down overstaying students.
  • The Home Secretary also vowed to offer longer-term protection to genuine refugees who need it, labeling her policy approach as "humane for those who need our help, tough on those who abuse it."
  • Net migration in the UK reached a record high of 330,000 in the past year, with asylum claims exceeding 30,000 in 2014 and a six-year high of 130 a day in July.

Statistics:

  • Net migration in the past year soared to a record 330,000.
  • Asylum claims reached 6,164 in 2014 and a six-year high of 40 per day in July.
  • Three quarters of asylum seekers in Britain are men in their 20s.

Sources:

  • The Sun (no date provided)
  • "The Institute of Directors boss Simon Walker"
  • Yvette Cooper, chairwoman of Labour's refugee taskforce
  • Lord Green, founder of MigrationWatch