Labour to launch social media advertisement campaign aimed at potential migrants to highlight ‘risks and realities’ of working with evil people smugglers

Labour will seek on Monday to counter illegal migration at source by telling potential migrants the grim ‘risks and realities’ of working with evil people smugglers.

Ministers will launch an international campaign of social media advertisements to ‘debunk’ the smugglers’ lies – using the ‘real stories of their victims’ who had tried to enter the UK illegally.

The campaign will start tomorrow in Vietnam and expand into the Kurdistan region of Iraq in the New Year.

Home Office officials say Vietnamese and Iraqi nationals are among the top ten nationality groups crossing the Channel illegally.

The campaign comes with Sir Keir Starmer’s government under pressure to show it was making a real difference to illegal immigration amid Tory claims that scrapping the option of processing illegal migrants in Rwanda had removed a real deterrent.

But last night, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper boasted of making a huge increase in returning illegal immigrants, with almost 13,500 removed from the UK since Labour came of office in July and putting the Government on track to deliver the highest number of returns for five years.

She also pledged a step change in tackling exploitative and illegal working in the UK, with £5 million allocated to roll out body-worn cameras to 1,200 frontline Immigration Enforcement officers next year.

Just two months before the July general election, then Tory Home Secretary James Cleverly also unveiled plans to expand a campaign to expose the lies of organised smuggler gangs, following a social media drive in Albania which led to a 90 per cent in small boat arrivals linked to that country.

Labour will seek on Monday to counter illegal migration at source by telling potential migrants the grim ‘risks and realities’

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has boasted of making a huge increase in returning illegal immigrants

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has boasted of making a huge increase in returning illegal immigrants

But last night, the Home Office said the new international campaign would seek to inform prospective migrants at every stage of their journey about the risks and realities of trying to enter the UK illegally.

Border Security Minister Angela Eagle said: ‘This campaign hits people smugglers where it hurts, exposing their lies and cutting off their supply of victims.

‘By sharing the experiences of real victims of these gangs, we will warn migrants at every stage of the journey about the dangers of coming to the UK illegally.

‘Working hand in hand with our international partners, we are breaking the smugglers’ business model, securing our borders and delivering on our Plan for Change.

Dame Angela added: ‘Too many people have died in the English Channel at the hands of these criminals, and we will stop at nothing to bring them to justice.’

Border Security Commander Martin Hewitt vowed to ‘dismantle and bring to justice’ the criminal gangs ‘who abuse our borders are responsible for the deaths of scores of vulnerable, innocent people.’

Quynh Nguyen, founder and CEO of the Vietnamese Family Partnership, said: ‘As representatives of the Vietnamese community in the UK, we support these crucial efforts to prevent irregular migration.

‘Our community understands the importance of legal routes, and we are committed to sharing this message with families in Vietnam.’

British Border Force officials escort migrants on Defender into Dover Docks in Kent on December 14

British Border Force officials escort migrants on Defender into Dover Docks in Kent on December 14

Announcing her crackdown on immigration, Home Secretary Ms Cooper condemned illegal working as ‘a blight on our economy’ which was ‘deeply exploitative and undercuts those employers who do the right thing and play by the rules’.

She added: ‘Since the election, we have intensified our efforts to crackdown on exploitation and illegal working – the number of operations and arrests are up, and we are on track to meet our target of increasing removals to the highest level for five years.

‘I am boosting the capabilities of our immigration enforcement officers to make sure they have the tools they need to further crack down on illegal working and shine a light on the hidden economy and false promises that criminal smuggling gangs are using to encourage people to cross the Channel in small boats.

‘If you employ people illegally, you will face consequences.

‘The rules must be respected and enforced.’

But last night, the Tories accused Labour of failing to ‘control our borders’ and said both the Prime Minister and Ms Cooper ‘should hang their heads in shame’.

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp MP said: ‘These return figures just continue the upward trajectory we have been on under the previous Government.’

Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice said: ‘Labour claim they are getting tough on illegal immigration when the reality is they are making it easier for illegals to claim asylum in the UK, and still allowing record levels of small boat crossings.’

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