British Red Cross response to PM's press conference on migration held on 5 June

Responding to the Prime Minister’s update on migration numbers, Christina Marriott, executive director of strategy and communications, said:

“Behind these figures are vulnerable men, women and children often fleeing war and persecution. Most of these people may feel they had no other choice than to make the dangerous journey to cross the Channel. This is because there is a lack of accessible safe routes to reach the UK.

“Meanwhile, people who have managed to reach the UK are stuck in the asylum backlog, waiting for their claims to be processed. They are living in limbo for months, sometimes years, unable to work, separated from family and uncertain about their future. This is costly to their physical and mental health, as well as the taxpayer.

“If the government is serious about improving the asylum system, it must focus on processing people’s claims quickly and correctly. People fleeing war and persecution should be able to access the system whenever they need it, regardless of how they arrived in the UK.”