The government’s talk of more ‘safe and legal’ asylum routes is nothing but empty words

Despite her claims, Priti Patel is doing little to create safe pathways for women, children and families so they don’t have to be put in the hands of smuggling gangs, argues May Bulman

The home secretary, Priti Patel, in the House of Commons (AFP via Getty Images)

“Safe and legal routes” has been bandied around a lot by ministers in recent days. Announcing the UK’s plan to ship asylum seekers to Rwanda last Thursday, Boris Johnson claimed proudly that these pathways would be a central part of the UK’s new, “innovative” approach to asylum.

Defending the controversial deal with the central African country this week, Priti Patel told the House of Commons the government was bringing in the changes to “stop that illegal trade in people smuggling, creating safe and legal routes for women, children and families so that they do not have to be put in the hands of the evil people smugglers”.

But despite all these claims that more safe routes will be created – and this being one of the central pledges in Ms Patel’s Nationality and Borders Bill – plans to give those crossing the Channel an alternative way of reach the UK are nowhere to be seen.