It’s a difficult situation when you’re leaning on international support for internal issues. The UK’s strategy involving the employment of French police forces to intercept illegal immigrants in shallow waters before they embark towards the English Channel has hit a rough patch. France’s Ministry of the Interior announced that law enforcement officers were preparing to commence operations in just a few weeks. However, union backlash has halted these plans, leaving the entire arrangement in precarious territory, and raising questions about the efficacy of English-French cooperation in managing Channel crossing attempts.
The key question now is: why should Britain allow French fishermen to harvest our fisheries when the migrant boat issue remains poorly addressed? It’s time for the Prime Minister to communicate more firmly with President Emmanuel Macron of France to resolve this impasse. Necessary measures may include restricting French fishing vessels from operating within UK waters until unequivocal efforts to intercept migrant boats on the Channel can be confirmed.
On another front, the Labour Party seems to be creating its policy on the fly regarding winter fuel payments to senior citizens. The past fortnight has witnessed disorder following the unexpected policy change by the Prime Minister, who announced a potential expansion in the number of elder people that might have these financial aid reinstated.
Adding to the uncertainty, Torsten Bell, a minister from the party, has stated that there will be no reinstatement of universal payments. In further contradiction, the Chancellor has assured that the payments will be disbursed in time for the upcoming winter. The proposed beneficiaries, the specifics of the payment amounts, and the overall cost implications to taxpayers have not been clearly communicated. The governing party should urgently address these ambiguities and reduce rising uneasiness among the pensioners.
There are also significant concerns about the law enforcement in the country. Senior police officers have expressed their apprehension regarding potential budget cuts from the Government that could result in overlooking certain crimes. This has the public wondering if this might already be the case.
Burglaries and shoplifting, in particular, are crimes which seem to have dim prospects of suitable prosecution, forming a de facto condition of decriminalisation. The ongoing internal investment in diversity projects by the police departments must also be put into greater scrutiny.
It is crucial for Chief Constables to remember the funds they are utilising come from taxpayer’s pockets and it would be justified if they show substantial modifications in their approach towards fighting crime with those resources.