A union representing Border Force employees is joining a legal fight to stop the government from having them halt illegal boat migrants at sea and return them to safe, first-world France.
“Our Border Force members are aghast at the thought they will be forced to implement such a cruel and inhumane policy,” said Mark Serwotka, general secretary of public sector worker union PCS, of the idea that Border Force — who are paid to enforce Britain’s border rules — might be expected to protect Britain’s borders.
“Migrants who are trying to reach this country should be allowed to do so via safe routes so that their claims can be assessed here,” Serwotka continued — repeating left-wing talking points presently gaining traction in the UK that the best solution to illegal immigration is to simply make it legal.
“If the Government does not abandon this appalling approach, we will pursue all legal avenues including a judicial review.
“PCS will not rule out all forms of industrial action, including disrupting the implementation of the pushback policy if the Home Secretary insists on going ahead,” he threatened.
PCS’s press team says the legal challenge is being led by the controversial pro-migration organisation Care4Calais, and that the union is “proud” to be joining them.
It is unlikely the Priti Patel-led Home Office’s instructions to Border Force to turn back migrants — hitherto escorted the rest of the way to England’s shores by the with no opposition after being intercepted by the British authorities — will ever actually be implemented, whatever the outcome of the legal challenge, given they only apply in “very limited circumstances”.
Indeed, Border Force officials have already briefed the media that the scope for so-called pushbacks or turn-arounds is so limited that “There is fairly universal agreement that this is not likely to ever happen.”
“The captains of the cutters have control of the process and in practice, if they’re not willing to use it, it will never happen,” sources explained.
“We will not be easily pushed about by [Home Secretary] Priti Patel… ultimately it’s a decision for the captain and nothing can override the right to captain their vessel,” they bragged, as if they should have every right to defy the elected government minister to whom they are supposed to be answerable.
In recent weeks, it became questionable whether there is any passion for immigration control at Border Force even in theory, with the organisation’s outgoing chief having branded “bloody borders” a “pain in the bloody ass” during a speech to colleagues.