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Ian Payne 4am - 7am
8 March 2023, 11:04 | Updated: 8 March 2023, 12:59
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Home Secretary Suella Braverman have confirmed the Illegal Migration Bill which is causing a huge debate - but what exactly is it and what does it mean for the UK?
Rishi Sunak promised the UK he would tackle illegal immigrants when he became prime minister and his latest immigration and asylum seeker laws are his attempt at just that.
The PM, and Home Secretary Suella Braverman, confirmed in the House of Commons this week their new bill which will see people who arrive in the UK illegally removed "within weeks" and receive a lifetime ban on claiming asylum.
Causing much debate, with the UN refugee body saying they have huge concerns for the new bill, Rishi Sunak has said he's "up for the fight" and these "tough measures" were the only way to tackle the migrant crisis and to stop unsafe boats crossing the Channel.
Read more: Gary Lineker sparks fury among Tory MPs after comparing migrant crackdown to Nazi Germany
He said: "All I can say is that we have tried it every other way and it has not worked. So I say again: my policy is very simple, it is this country—and your government—who should decide who comes here, not criminal gangs."
Essentially, the new law, also nicknamed 'Stop the Boats' wants to end illegal entry, especially via boats, as a route to asylum in the UK.
The main points of the new bill are:
Andrew Marr's reaction to new Illegal Migration Bill
The tough new bill hasn't come without criticism, as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has stepped forward to say it's concerning.
Vicky Tennant, of the UNHCR, said: "We're very concerned. This is effectively closing off access to asylum in the UK for people arriving irregularly.
"We believe it's a clear breach of the Refugee Convention, and remember even people with very compelling claims will simply not have the opportunity to put these forward."
Labour's shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper branded the Bill a "con" and described the plans as "Groundhog Day" in the wake of criticism from campaigners who said the proposed policy would be unworkable.