The BBC has spoken to a small boat migrant who is marked for removal to France under the ‘one in, one out’ migrant deal. He says he’ll be coming back…
The Today Programme spoke to an asylum seeker who had left Iraq, travelled through Turkey, crossed the Channel, was detained, and set for return to France. He was asked why he was so determined to get to Britain:
“How much they have compassion, how they respect the refugees, how they respect people who are in danger, that’s why I came here.”
Despite his removal the asylum seeker said the deal’s deterrent function would not work: “If there is a chance of course I will come back.” Asked by Justin Webb if that meant trying to cross on a small boat again, he said: “I will try again.” Previous returns have said the same…
Under the terms negotiated by the French Britain is sending back a tiny proportion of small boat crossers. January’s figures are ticking up. In the ultimate irony the BBC was informed as the interview was playing out on the Today Programme that the migrant had not in fact been returned this morning as he was meant to have been. The Home Office provided no explanation…
On Greenland, President Trump said during his Davos speech:
“All I’m asking for is a piece of ice, cold and very poorly located. It’s a very small ask considering what we’ve given them [NATO] for decades..We want a piece of ice for world protection. ”