Solutions

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Blunkett: UK is 'good place to seek asylum'

Who are they? Where are they from?

And what do they want here?

Solutions

Michael Howard, former home secretary: "Build more reception centres and withdraw benefits unless asylum claim is made at point of entry. Reinstate the agreement that allows us to send straight back to France asylum seekers coming from that country."

Baroness Kennedy QC, chair of the British Council: "Generous asylum criteria based on a broad definition of persecution. We need to liberalise our approach to immigration – there are talented people who want to live and work in the United Kingdom."

Nick Hardwick, chief executive of the Refugee Council: "Harmonise European asylum policy: common standards for reception of asylum seekers; common asylum procedures; common definition of who is and who is not a refugee."

Julia Onslow-Cole, immigration lawyer and member of Immigration Law Practitioners Association: "We should harmonise European policy and stop people shopping around. We need to rethink the outdated UN convention to allow in more displaced people. That would create a more ordered system."