Britain’s attempts to stop asylum-seekers have failed so far
A new scheme might change that
In a rubbish-strewn migrant camp west of Dunkirk, the appearance of a reporter who has voluntarily crossed the English Channel in a southerly direction, from Britain to France, causes surprise and hilarity. The migrants, who are desperate to travel the other way, launch into encomiums to Britain. “It has the best language,” says a young Yemeni man. “It has the best security,” says an Iraqi. It is “perfect”, adds his friend.
Explore more
This article appeared in the Britain section of the print edition under the headline “On deaf ears”
From the September 20th 2025 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the edition
Britain’s work restrictions set up asylum-seekers to fail
The economic benefits of relaxing the rules are clear—as are the political obstacles to doing so
Britain’s relationship with America endures, against the odds
Fears of a rupture have not materialised, for now
Britain’s rising food prices are a political headache
Voters hate inflation. They notice it most at the supermarket
How Westminster became obsessed with paedophiles
Nonce politics is not confined to the fringes
Blighty newsletter: Britain in the age of the bloc
Matthew Holehouse, our British political correspondent, on how Britons are changing the way they vote
King Charles III has mellowed over the past 30 years
Blandness is a feature of the British crown, not a bug