{"id":536070,"date":"2025-10-29T19:36:35","date_gmt":"2025-10-29T19:36:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/536070\/"},"modified":"2025-10-29T19:36:35","modified_gmt":"2025-10-29T19:36:35","slug":"farage-accused-of-causing-small-boat-crisis-by-championing-brexit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/536070\/","title":{"rendered":"Farage Accused Of ‘Causing Small Boat Crisis’ By Championing Brexit"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ed Davey<\/a> has declared Nigel Farage<\/a> and the Tories<\/a> are to blame for the small boats crisis because they were the \u201cchampions of Brexit<\/a>\u201d.<\/p>\n

Speaking to LBC<\/a>, the Liberal Democrats<\/a> leader said the Reform UK<\/a> leader and the opposition \u2013 who have been calling for a firmer crackdown on asylum seekers coming across the English Channel \u2013 were actually behind the rising numbers coming to British shores.<\/p>\n

He said: \u201cIt\u2019s really important to push back against people like Nigel Farage and the Conservatives.<\/p>\n

\u201cPrior to Brexit, we had an agreement with 27 European countries under what was called the Dublin Convention, and that acted as a real deterrent.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow that we\u2019re out of there, it\u2019s acting as a magnet because the asylum seekers going to one European country know they can\u2019t go to another European country because they would be returned under European law, but they\u2019re not able to be returned by the UK.<\/p>\n

\u201cBrexit, not only prevented us returning people legally and fairly, as we used to be able to do, it\u2019s not only got rid of that deterrent which Rwanda<\/a> was supposed to be all about, it\u2019s actually attracting more people.\u201d<\/p>\n

He added: \u201cI would argue very strongly that the Conservatives and Nigel Farage caused the small boats crisis themselves, and it\u2019s about time we held them to account for that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Immigration has dominated the headlines in recent weeks amid a rise in protests against the use of asylum hotels.<\/p>\n

As of October 21, 36,734 people have arrived in the UK via small boat in 2025.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s 8,530 more than on the same date last year, but 869 lower than the same point in 2022 which was the highest year on record (45,000 people cross in just 12 months).<\/p>\n

The UK did return more people than it received in the years before the Brexit vote, albeit in small numbers.<\/p>\n

After the 2016 referendum, small boat arrivals started to outpace removals.<\/p>\n

Now the UK is outside of the EU, the only mechanism it has to return migrants is the new \u201cone in, one out\u201d scheme with France.<\/a><\/p>\n

Davey\u2019s remarks also come after Keir Starmer<\/a> tried a similar tactic earlier this month by calling them \u201cFarage boats\u201d.<\/p>\n

He said: \u201cI would gently point out to Nigel Farage and others that before we left the EU, we had a returns agreement with every country in the EU and he told the country it would make no difference if we left.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was wrong about that. These are Farage boats, in many senses, that are coming across the channel.\u201d<\/p>\n

At the time, Reform UK accused Starmer of \u201cspreading complete misinformation\u201d. <\/p>\n

Labour has previously been very careful to avoid criticising Brexit, but Reform UK\u2019s surge in the polls seem to have triggered a change in strategy.<\/p>\n

\n

\u2018Nigel Farage and the Tories caused the small boats crisis.\u2019<\/p>\n

Lib Dem leader Ed Davey says \u2018the champions of Brexit\u2019 have to answer for record channel crossings. pic.twitter.com\/8bd0xS2qci<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 LBC (@LBC) October 28, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n