The government has today (Thursday 14 April) set out new plans to tackle illegal migration and crack down on the criminal gangs exploiting this international crisis. Central to this is a world-first Migration and Economic Development Partnership signed by the Home Secretary, Priti Patel, and Rwandan Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Co-Operation, Vincent Biruta.

This, says Priti Patel, will see migrants who make dangerous or illegal journeys, such as by small boat or hidden in lorries, have their asylum claim processed in Rwanda. “Those whose claims are accepted will then be supported to build a new and prosperous life in one of the fastest-growing economies, recognised globally for its record on welcoming and integrating migrants”.

Under this Partnership the UK is investing £120 million into the economic development and growth of Rwanda. Funding will also be provided to support the delivery of asylum operations, accommodation and integration, similar to the costs incurred in the UK for these services.

This is essentially a rehash of plans already mooted by the government, though the official statement does not link to the full text of any agreement so this could easily be yet another work of fiction. The government is still “investing” substantial sums on upgrading migrant reception facilities, which tells us this is a long term fixture. The government plans to house migrants on the site of RAF Linton on Ouse, ignoring the objections of residents. Consequently UKIP will stand against Kevin Hollinrake at the next election.

In addition to a statement by Priti Patel, the prime minister has also made an announcement in which he says:

“There are currently 80 million displaced people in the world, many in failed States where governments can’t meet their aspirations. In an era of mobile connectivity they are a call or a text away from potentially being swept up in the tide of people smuggling. The answer cannot be for the UK to become the haven for all of them. That is a call for open borders by the back door, a political argument masquerading as a humanitarian policy. Those in favour of this approach should be honest about it and argue for it openly. We reject it, as the British people have consistently rejected it at the ballot box – in favour of controlled immigration. We simply cannot have a policy of saying anyone who wants to live here can do so. We’ve got to be able to control who comes into this country and the terms on which they remain”.

We have said as much, countless times over the last two years. The PM seems to understand that they are undermining the “natural compassion and goodwill” that people have towards refugees in this country. But we have heard it all before. With another 600 arrivals just yesterday, unless this plan fills at least two plane loads every week then it’s just window dressing.

The real test of the government’s sincerity is whether it will take on the open borders blob and the NGOcracy who will attempt to defeat this agreement on human rights grounds. Presently the government is financing its own opposition, Like environmentalist groups, the open borders NGOs such as the Refugee Council take a large part of their funding from government funded grants and direct payments. This funding must be withdrawn. If NGOs want to play in politics then let them raise their own funds.

In all probability the numbers we will see moved overseas will be small, and not nearly enough to make a difference, and probably not enough to serve as any kind of deterrence. Without a withdrawal from the Refugee Convention, and a radical overhaul of human rights laws, this plan will be stillborn.

We’d like to believe the government, but there is no basis on which to take this announcement seriously. The timing suggests it’s a ploy to provide ground cover as the PM faces negative press over his Covid fines.

Worse still, Johnson’s proxy war on Russia is set to create a global food crisis, hitting Africa especially hard, resulting in yet another wave of migration. Unless new measures can outstrip the current pace of invasion then the plan will make no difference whatsoever. Unless the government is prepared to make the fundamental reforms to the legal framework of asylum now, Johnson may never be able to do it. Current polling suggests, at the very least, he will lose a working majority at the next election. He’ll have squandered the opportunity.

We have no faith in this government. There is no reason to believe this latest move is sincere. Boris Johnson doesn’t have the grit or the stamina to take on the open borders blob and he will cave in every single time. Only UKIP will deliver on their promise to bring immigration down.