Quote Originally Posted by Leicesterbaggie View Post
What you don't appear to understand 123 is the word illegal. If in all other areas of society we ignored the laws, we'd be in a right mess! You state that most of those who remain do so because their visas have expired and haven't come on dingys. So that's OK then, and overstaying your visa is not illegal? I'm sorry, but I don't understand your reasoning.
I think you're missing my point.

A lot of media attention is given to immigrants arriving by boat, yet hardly any to those who overstay their visas. And the figures would suggest that is the area of high numbers of immigrants to be looking at. And Priti Patel is talking about sending gunboats and the Navy in - for the area of immigration that is minimal. Its pure PR posturing.

And also, you're talking about 'illegal'. Do you think people who risk their lives in dangerous dinghies on choppy waters in November care about if they do something that is legal or not? Politicians, such as Johnson and Patel, see this issue as a vote winner for them. And here we are.