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How can Priti Patel stop migrant crossings?

12 min listen

Priti Patel has blamed the European Union’s freedom of movement for the ‘mass migration crisis’ that Britain is facing. In a visit to Washington, the Home Secretary said: ‘the real problem on illegal migration flows is the EU has no border protections whatsoever — Schengen open borders’. Tories MPs are reportedly frustrated at the government’s failure to stop the flow of migrants getting boats across the channel, so what should Priti Patel do? Cindy Yu speaks to James Forsyth and Katy Balls.

‘I think this is a little bit like a sailor complaining about the sea. It is more diplomatic than blaming the French. So in some ways it’s an improvement. But it’s very hard to think that the UK is in control of its borders when every night on the news you’re seeing pictures of people climbing out of dinghies on the south coast.’ – James Forsyth

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