PCS and Care4Calais will today set out a new policy to address small boat crossings in the Channel and propose a humane alternative to Rwanda deportation.

After the revelation of the appalling conditions at Manston asylum centre and nearly one year on from the deaths of 32 people in the channel, the organisations believe there is an urgent need for reform of the asylum system.

The organisations believe stopping small boats is a priority and are calling for the implementation of a safe passage visa scheme, to allow refugees to enter the UK safely and begin their asylum claim.

This is seen as the best way to prevent hazardous channel crossings, smash the people smugglers’ business operation and, ultimately, save lives.

The policy is set out in Safe Passage for Refugees, a 12-page document launched today at 12.45pm in committee room 1 at the House of Lords. The full report will be published after the event but a summary is available below.

PCS head of bargaining Paul O’Connor said: “There’s an urgent need for the creation of safe and legal routes for refugees.

“The government claimed its Rwanda policy would deter people from crossing the Channel. It has failed miserably, with record numbers making the dangerous journey.

"The government’s entire approach to Channel crossings has been morally reprehensible and utterly inhumane, displaying a total disregard for refugees and our members, who want to work in a system that is humane and fair, and that offers dignity and respect for refugees and workers alike.

“From the proposed pushbacks manoeuvre, to Rwanda deportation, to the appalling conditions at Manston, the government’s approach has been a shambolic failure.

“It’s time to develop a workable solution rooted in humanity, not hostility. Our pamphlet on safe passage is that solution."

Care4Calais founder Clare Moseley said: "People who are brave and resilient enough to have escaped from the worst terrors in this world should not be risking their lives once again to claim asylum in the UK.

“We know it’s possible to give people safe passage – we do it for Ukrainian refugees – so why not do it for other refugees?”

Lord Alf Dubs said: “I’m proud to add my name to the calls for legal routes for refugees. The treatment of refugees fleeing some of the most harrowing circumstances imaginable is horrifying and for the government to respond to this desperation with an inhumane policy to deport people to Rwanda is shameful.

"During the horrors of the Second World War, this country took in thousands of refugees, including me when I was a young child. We cannot abandon this commitment to offering refuge, especially at a time when more people are risking their lives crossing the Channel than ever before."

Olivia Blake MP said: “The government’s cruel Rwanda policy and its new deal with France are ineffective and it’s also the wrong approach. Refugees that seek safety in the UK are protected under the Refugee Convention and seeking asylum is not illegal, regardless of the method of entry.

“Channel crossings are dangerous, and if our priority is to save lives, then we must have conversations around safe ways for people to claim asylum in the UK. The Safe Passage Visa proposed in this report finally shifts the conversation from deterrence to support for the most vulnerable and is a much-needed contribution to the discussion."

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