Opinion-in-brief: Send off-shore processing the way of other junk ideas
The new quarrel unfolding in Parliament is over the Home Office’s scheme to process asylum seekers offshore. The Nationality and Borders bill is currently “ping ponging” between the House of Lords and the Commons over plans to pay countries to accept asylum seekers on their territory.
Reports have suggested potential candidates could be Rwanda, Ghana and Albania.
Critics of the policy have branded it immoral, impractical and expensive. Around 50 MPs led by David Davis and Andrew Mitchell plan to oppose it this week in Parliament.
The Home Office has become known for extremist policies. Over the last few years, there have been reports of the Home Office considering everything from a ‘giant wave machine’ to turn around small boats, to using disused oil platforms as ‘floating off-shore processing centres’ in the North Sea. There is hope offshoring will end up like these predecessors – never implemented.