Rishi Sunak vows to tackle Channel migrants in interview with Piers Morgan

Rishi Sunak vowed to tackle the ‘ridiculous’ Channel migrant situation today as he faced off against Piers Morgan.

In an interview to mark his first 100 days in office, the PM said his blueprint for overhauling the system would see asylum claims heard in ‘days or weeks’.

He told Talk TV the efforts to ‘break the cycle’ included a new deal with Albania – said to be the origin of 30 per cent of illegal migrants – and closer working with France.

And he insisted that the government’s plan for sending arrivals to Rwanda for processing will definitely go ahead. 

Ministers have made stopping the flow of small boats crossing the Channel a top priority, with Tory MPs warning that failure to get a grip will be disastrous at the next election.  

Speaking from his home in Downing Street, Mr Sunak said: ‘The system that we need, the system that I want to introduce, is one whereby if you come here illegally, you should be swiftly detained and then in a matter of days or weeks we will hear your claim, not months and years, and then we will safely remove you somewhere else. And if we do that, that’s how we’ll break the cycle.’

Pressed by Morgan on how he would make that happen, Mr Sunak said: ‘So, look, in the first 100 days what have we done, what have I done? 

‘I’ve got a new deal with France, which is increasing the amount of patrols that are happening on French beaches, which is making a difference already. 

‘Secondly, I’ve got a brand new deal with Albania. Albania accounted for 30 per cent of all illegal migrants.’

When Morgan observed that the figure was ‘ridiculous’, Mr Sunak said: ‘Of course that’s ridiculous. 

‘But I’ll work with the Albanians to put in place a new deal which means for people coming from Albania illegally, we’ll be able to remove them safely back to Albania and that is already happening. 

‘We’re putting illegal migrants from Albania back on flights and that will ratchet up over the year. And that’s tangible improvement in the situation. That deal is a new deal.’

A group of people benig brought ashore by border officers in Dover last month

Mr Sunak highlighted new legislation he is proposing to bolster the system.

‘Very soon we’ll be introducing new laws into Parliament which deliver the system that I explained, the system which says if you come here illegally, you’re not really going to be able to stay here,’ he said.

‘So, what that new law will say is, if you come here illegally, for an illegal migrant here, then you will not be able to stay here and, in fact, we will be able to detain you and then we will hear your claim in a matter of days or weeks, not months or years and we will have the ability in the vast majority of cases to send you to an alternative safe country, be that where you come from, if it’s safe, like Albania, or, indeed, Rwanda.’

Asked whether the Rwanda idea is ‘ever going to happen’ after court challenges, the PM shot back: ‘Yes.’