Reform UK Isle of Wight has warned that direct migrant landings on the Isle of Wight are now a ‘tangible possibility’ following Sunday’s major Channel incident involving more than 150 migrants.
As first reported by Island Echo, Bembridge and Yarmouth RNLI lifeboats were tasked at around 10:35 yesterday (Sunday) to a large migrant dinghy around halfway between the Isle of Wight and Cherbourg, France
More than 150 migrants were subsequently brought ashore at Eastney, where Police in riot gear were deployed as protesters gathered.
The incident has prompted responses from across the political spectrum, including the Island’s 2 MPs and Reform UK.
In a statement issued following Sunday’s events, Reform UK says larger migrant dinghies represent a change in tactics, with such vessels capable of travelling greater distances across the Channel and carrying more occupants.
Although the party acknowledges that the intended destination of Sunday’s crossing cannot be determined, it says the incident shows the issue is “no longer confined to southern Kent and East Sussex”.
A local Reform UK Party spokesperson has said:
“We are seriously concerned about the events as reported by the Island Echo and other news outlets; a feeling that is shared by citizens across the country but which now resonates for us much closer to home. Those who just dismiss the significance of this incident should reconsider their position.
“As documented in national media over the summer months and highlighted by Reform UK, these larger Migrant Dinghies signify a change in tactics and a new reality. Such vessels are capable of longer distance travel across the Channel and with far more occupants than before.
“Though the intended destination of yesterday’s crossing cannot be determined, this issue is clearly no longer confined to southern Kent and East Sussex and demonstrates the tangible possibility of direct migrant landings on the Isle of Wight, Hampshire and neighbouring coastlines.
“These departures from near Cherbourg on the Cotentin Peninsula are now putting stresses upon our community’s vital resources, with real world consequences for local residents, unnecessary risk to RNLI volunteers and additional pressures upon Police and UK Border Force personnel.
“If the facts are not enough, the images speak for themselves; over one hundred people crammed aboard rescue vessels that, though are rightly meant to assist those in peril at sea, are now being exploited to facilitate illegal immigration and profit for human-trafficking gangs.
“It is no longer deniable that the concerns about illegal immigration of Reform UK Members and supporters, and other local Island residents who share in the same, are entirely valid. This is simply not an acceptable situation. It cannot be allowed to continue unchecked.
“Successive Conservative and now Labour Governments have, for over a decade, promised solutions to illegal migration and failed to deliver on those promises; those failures have betrayed public trust, harmed British Citizens and Legal Immigrants, and cost the Country a fortune.
“Reform UK will continue to campaign both locally and nationally to stop all crossings by illegal migrants, to oppose any and all proposals to house, process or even disembark illegal migrants on the Isle of Wight whatsoever, and to properly take back control of our borders.”
Isle of Wight East MP Joe Robertson has also questioned whether Sunday’s incident could represent a new cross-Channel route and how the Government intends to respond with resources both in the UK and France.
Meanwhile, Isle of Wight West MP Richard Quigley said he spent 7 hours on Sunday speaking with Solent MPs, the Home Office and partner organisations following the incident.
The Labour MP said he would continue to liaise with colleagues in Government and at the Home Office.
That’s a way of life thesedays.
Reform are desparate to turn this into a crisis to distract from the alleged illegal donations and Farage’s (man of the people) undeclared £5M “gift”. Small boat numbers are down by 40+% and the winter weather will put a big squeeze on them.
Typical brainwashed leftie, the numbers of small boats might be down, but the boats that are coming over a twice the size, so the boats might be down, but the number of men coming over hasn’t dropped.
Lets see how the lefties on the island react if or when the boats start landing on the island.
Typical right wing racist. So you vote for Fartage & his criminal entourage. Will you be burning down Bembridge RNLI in protest?
Oh so this didn’t happen then, Reform made it up, perhaps the eyebrows in a tee shirt should get his game together and stop them coming all together.
Farage will be on the beach collecting ‘donations’
I didn’t think Nige knew where Clacton beach is.
It is inbetween Jaywick and Walton
Lol
Let’s hope that we get some really rough seas and gale f8 then to stop them or sink them.
Scaremongering. Of course a landing is possible. It is also possible that people living near the coast on the Island will help immigrants land if they are paid enough money. Receiving smuggled goods is hardly new to the Island. But just because something is possible does not make it probable. The people arriving need to either get to a processing centre to have their asylum claim processed or to disappear into the landscape. If you were going to the latter, why would you aim for an Island which would be difficult to leave without being spotted? You would go straight to the mainland.
Seeing as it probably would of beached somewhere on the Island if it wasn’t taken to Eastney, then yes it is obvious one will land here soon. The government are useless and a bunch of bloody liars, they don’t give a toss about the country, just out to line the pockets of themselves and the cronies that associate with them, are you listening Quigley.
If there is concern that asylum seekers could land on our Island I hope there are now plans in place to welcome them with dignity, humanity and to extend to them the support that international law and common decency require.
Welcoming refugees with open arms and treating guests with respect and kindness are aspects of our culture that we should take great pride in.
Would be nice if the illegals showed the same respect
You’re nuts, they are on the take as soon as they land here “illegally” why else do they throw ID’s and personal phones into the sea before they get here, wake up idiot.
As soon as people claim asylum, even if they arrive here illegally, there are international laws that prohibit poor treatment.
The 1951 Refugee Convention outlines the responsibilities of receiving states.
The UK is signatory to that convention and has ratified it.
Calling someone “nuts” and “idiot” for suggesting that the UK follows the letter and spirit of international law shows both ignorance and poor human values.
We have a legal and moral responsibility to our fellow man.
It’s time for those of us who take legal and moral duties seriously to stand up to the immoral world view of the far right.
Amen.
Already seen it Small dinghy’s landing on south wight beaches and occupants dispersing along military road. Small groups in Newtown with lifejackets still on and selection of tents. 2 boats at Compton holed on arrival and pushed back out to sea. Let’s all hope they find their way to Wrigerly Quigerly house
It’s a tangible possibility they could swim over, or tunnel underneath. The FACT remains that in order to claim asylum, (which is what they want) they’d need to be processed by Immigration and Border Force. WE DON’T HAVE THAT HERE, it’s not a port in that sense.
Reform must either be very very thick or desperately trying to fling the proverbial dead cat in somewhere they think they stand a chance of converting to their hate-filled dogma. Why? Because Farage et al are under suspicion for fraudulent financial dealings and it just might screw their chances if people start to concentrate on that instead.
Cos nobody wants corrupt leaders, do they? Or far-right thugs in balaclavas, Stasi-esque, acting as ‘police’ and patrolling our beaches?
Rwanda were set up to receive them and were paid a lot of money towards it, someone stopped it in its tracks. It should have been trialled for at least say, six months as it might have discouraged more from coming. Can it be restarted now?
There seem to be mostly young single males on the boats.
I was in a shop in Newport a few days ago.
a family from Rwanda were shopping in the store
such a friendly family, too he honest unlike many
local r acists.
Put yourselves in their position, their homes have been obliterated
thanks to the West.
It is now payback time for these poor persons, they didn’t ask for this.
“Zeig Heil”burn their books ,clothes and eradicate then?yep as a race we have truly learnt from history …not…shut your mouth Farage and give your a. e a chance
Farage, that epitome of Britishness with a dual German passport and clapping his hands with glee that the far-right have made inroads into Germany once again? His arse will have a comfy landing once he’s stirred the pot enough here….he’ll simply run back to his clan.
If people don’t start paying attention to the reality of what is actually happening by letting people like him into our politics it’s going to go very bad very quickly.
Its so easy, being a populist protest party, to say whatever you want. But if and when the time comes to get of the sofa and put the phone down, they will be found out.
IOW in a panic, Bogeymen with two heads on route to upset the population who think they are not part of this troubled world!!! A bit of COMPASSION would not go amiss….
That would take extended thought and an empathy gland. Don’t be silly, most of them are still chewing straw and haven’t yet been told they’re not original man….ironic as that’s an Islamist theology.
Maybe you should to take some of them into your home then…. How long before they show you compassion, never.
Islanders think what goes on, on the mainland doesn’t affect them
Lol
It’s getting closer and they are sh@tting themselves.
With all the lawless local numpties we could do with
some more culture on the island.