UK must use ‘sharpest diplomatic weapons’ for control of borders, says Lammy
Plans for sanctions on the finances of people-smuggling networks will ‘prevent, combat, deter and disrupt irregular migration’, Mr Lammy said.
The UK must use “our sharpest diplomatic weapons to help restore control” to borders, David Lammy has said.
Plans for sanctions on the finances of people-smuggling networks will “prevent, combat, deter and disrupt irregular migration”, the Foreign Secretary told an event in London on Thursday as he called the work of his department – the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) – “critical” in tackling the issue.
It comes as the Government announced that sanctions will target the finances of people-smuggling networks as part of efforts to stop people crossing the Channel in small boats.
Delivering a speech on Thursday, Tottenham MP Mr Lammy said: “We must use our sharpest diplomatic weapons to help restore control of our borders”.
Turning to the UK’s new sanctions plans, he went on: “The UK … is to be the first country in the world to develop legislation for a new sanctions regime specifically targeting irregular migration and organised immigration crime.
“This will help to prevent, combat, deter and disrupt irregular migration and the smuggling of migrants into the UK.”
The planned measures are intended to disrupt the flow of money and make it harder for ringleaders to profit from the deadly trade.
It will be the world’s first standalone sanctions regime dedicated to targeting irregular migration and organised immigration crime.
In the same speech, which covered a range of foreign policy issues, Mr Lammy said the FCDO is “critical to trying to solve this issue” of “irregular migration”, including engagement with other countries.
He went on: “A realistic strategy involves transactional, hard-headed diplomacy, and to agree with partners, smart interventions at every stage along the international people-smuggling pathway.
“So together that we can strengthen borders, smash the gangs and get those with no right to be here returned to their countries.”
He said he is working “closely” with Home Secretary Yvette Cooper to “deploy every tool at our disposal to restore control to our borders”.
Mr Lammy added: “Improving co-operation on returns is how we send people home. Conflict prevention is how we stop people fleeing their homes in the first place. Development work upstream is how we encourage people to stay in their homes.”
The sanctions plans have not yet been finalised but the regime is likely to operate on similar lines to other sanctions, meaning asset freezes and travel bans for individuals or firms where there are “reasonable grounds to suspect” involvement in people smuggling.
The sanctions regime would prevent them using UK financial institutions to invest or move money around.
Speaking to Sky News on Thursday morning, Mr Lammy suggested that manufacturers of engines used on small boats to cross the Channel could be among those in line for financial sanctions under the new regime.
He told Times Radio: “Let’s go after the manufacturers of those engines, many of whom are in China. Let’s deal with the organised criminals who are not just trafficking people, but they traffic guns and other things.
“Let’s go after them and their bank accounts, freeze their bank accounts, freeze their assets, as we’ve been able to do with oligarchs, kleptocrats and others seeking, particularly to pursue this war in Ukraine.
“So this is a new tool that I am using, and it’s to cripple people smuggling people across our country.”
