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Suella Braverman tasked UK Home Office officials with studying a report proposing that the Channel Islands to be considered as a location for processing ‘small boats’ migrants shortly before she was forced to resign as Home Secretary, it has been claimed.
Named ‘Stopping the Small Boats: a 'Plan B'’, the 44-page report released by influential conservative thinktank Policy Exchange earlier this year assesses where migrants who try to cross the Channel should be taken in future if their immediate return to France is not possible.
The main location it suggests for a migrant processing centre is the British overseas territory of St. Helena, Ascension and Tristan de Cunha - but the Channel Islands are suggested as next in line, as they are “outside the UK but proximate to France.”
The report firstly looks to Jersey and Guernsey, but suggests that Alderney would be most appropriate.
Pictured: Policy Exchange's 'Plan B' report suggested that Alderney would be the most appropriate of the Channel Islands for a migrant processing centre.
The report’s publication prompted strong criticism, particularly from States of Alderney representatives.
Andrew Muter, who was Chief Executive of the States of Alderney between 2018 and 2020, said the proposal was an example of “why serious policy proposals should not be left to academics and lawyers alone”, pointing in particular to the island's history with forced labour camps during the Second World War.
Alex Snowdon, Alderney’s representative in the States Assembly of Guernsey, expressed frustrations that there appeared to have been “no assessment of consequences to the island” and pointed out that “the UK government has no constitutional powers over the island.”
An illustration of why serious policy proposals should not be left to academics and lawyers alone @Policy_Exchange @ukhomeoffice @MoJGovUK #localgov https://t.co/UZJlY1Q4lg #migrants #alderney #Guernsey
— Andrew Muter (@andrewmuter) February 18, 2022
An official response from the States of Alderney noted that there had been “no discussion with the Alderney government on the suggestions being put forward by the thinktank”, adding that officials had “only been made aware of them as a result of recent media coverage.”
Despite such concerns over the proposals, the Observer reported this weekend that Suella Braverman had put the 'Plan B' report on her team's agenda shortly after being appointed Home Secretary by Liz Truss – something the Home Office has since denied.
Among the authors of the report is Simon Murray, who was given Ministerial responsibilities for migration and borders legislation earlier this month.
Braverman was only in the role for little over a month before stepping down after it emerged she had shared a sensitive document with influential right-wing backbench MP Sir John Hayes using her personal email address.
She has, however, since been reappointed under new Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
Pictured: The Observer report.
The Observer also reported this weekend on officials’ concerns over a series of alleged “secretive meetings” held between Braverman - who is currently under pressure over the conditions of existing UK migrant processing centres - and Sir John Hayes after she became Home Secretary for the first time.
Jersey’s involvement in ‘small boat crossing’ events has been limited.
The most recent incident was in July 2021, when a group of nearly 30 migrants – including 10 children – had to be rescued in the early morning after their boat ran out of fuel near Jersey. The group alerted the French coastal rescue authority when their six-metre vessel ran into difficulties 33km off Saint Malo, where they were returned to.
A man was arrested on suspicion of trafficking days later.
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