The Immigration Minister gave a statement to the House of Commons this afternoon sharing good news that the number of small boat crossings has reduced by 20 per cent and that the first 50 migrant hotels are being stood down - including the Best Western in the town of Buckingham.
Given the disruption the use of the Best Western as a migrant hostel has caused, robbing the town of a well used local hotel and putting immense pressure on local health services, Greg Smith MP is pleased it will be stood down on 23rd November and challenged the Minister to assure him that date could not be changed, postponed or delayed - which happily he was able to do.
The Government's comprehensive plan to tackle illegal migration is making progress. For the first time since the phenomenon of small boats began four years ago, arrivals are down by more than 20 per cent compared with the equivalent period of 2022 despite increases in arrivals in Europe of 100 per cent in some countries.
There is clearly a long way to go to stop illegal migration at the hands of people smugglers, but this is very good progress.
