UKIP Leader Nigel Farage Calls for "Turn Back the Boats" Refugee Policy to Prevent Deaths in the Mediterranean

Nigel Farage, the leader of the UK Independence Party (UKIP), has advocated for a "turn back the boats" refugee policy, similar to Australia's, to prevent tragic deaths in the Mediterranean. Speaking at the launch of his party's campaign for next year's referendum on Britain's EU membership, Farage pointed to the photograph of a dead three-year-old boy and asked how to prevent more such images. He believes that the only way to stop the deaths is to stop the boats from coming, by discouraging people from seeking refugee status in Europe.

Key Takeaways:

• Nigel Farage advocates for a "turn back the boats" refugee policy, similar to Australia's, to prevent deaths in the Mediterranean.
• Farage points to the photograph of a dead three-year-old boy and asks how to prevent more such images, suggesting that the only way is to stop the boats from coming.
• Farage praises Australia's immigration policy, which he believes has successfully stopped the flow of refugees coming to the country by boat.
• UKIP MP Douglas Carswell agrees that Australia's policy is working, citing the fact that it is stopping the boats and preventing humanitarian disasters.
• Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott had offered the EU help and advice on dealing with refugees, but Farage says the advice has been "spurned".
• Farage criticizes EU leaders, such as Angela Merkel, for creating a strong incentive for people to try to get to the EU by any means, rather than processing refugees correctly.

Statistics:

• Aylan Kurdi, the Syrian three-year-old boy who drowned in an attempt to reach Europe from Turkey, has become a symbol of the refugee crisis.
• 71 people were found dead in the back of a truck in Austria, highlighting the issue of refugee deaths in the Mediterranean.
• UKIP received almost 4 million votes in the 2015 general election, making it the third-largest party in the UK.
• The EU is facing a crisis, with thousands of refugees trying to reach Europe by boat, resulting in many deaths.

Sources:

• UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage's speech at the launch of his party's campaign for next year's referendum on Britain's EU membership.
• Tony Abbott, the Australian Prime Minister, offering help and advice to the EU on dealing with refugees.
• Douglas Carswell, the UKIP MP, citing the effectiveness of Australia's immigration policy.
• The story of Aylan Kurdi, the Syrian three-year-old boy who drowned in an attempt to reach Europe from Turkey.