However, the issue of FNOs is a distraction from the real topic of discussion – IMMIGRATION.

Here are the latest statistics from Border Force that was published in August of 2024

Notes:

1. This diagram is a simplification and doesn’t include all parts of the immigration system, such as people crossing the border who do not require a visa, or irregular arrivals. Data in different parts of the immigration system is not always comparable.
2. Safe and legal (humanitarian) routes include visas granted on the Ukraine, Hong Kong BN(O) and family reunion routes, as well as refugee resettlement and relocation in the UK.
3. The EU settlement scheme (EUSS) figure relates to grants of settled status or pre-settled status, in the year ending June 2024.
4. Immigration detention relates to the number of people in detention on 30 June 2024.

For the majority of people the issue lies not in the legal migration routes, sponsored work and study visa’s or visa’s issued to those visiting family, the issues lay to the right of the above diagram where the data shows that;

1. 97,000 people entered the UK and claimed asylum.
2. 31,000 of these were illegal entrants via the small boats issue in the channel.
3. 22,000 of these were voluntarilly returned to there home nation
4. 7,200 were forceably returned to their home nation
5. 67,800 remained in the UK for processing
6. There were 1,800 people from other nations also held in detention that are seperate from the above figures.

What does British Democracy propose?

Clearly the current system is not working and the various governments have, for decades, scrambled to plug holes in the system rather than change it and plug obvious holes.

We propose a simple system to move us forward – implementing it may not be quite as simple but we have to start somewhere.

1. From a fixed date, all immigration to the UK will be suspended for a period of 60 months – meaning that there will be no
   1. Grants of asylum (Exceptions will be made if the application is via the British Embassy in the home nation – it must be preapproved by HO and then their passport stamped by the Embassy [Any such applications must be made in person and the nation must be in a state of civil war/international conflict or the person has reasonable grounds to fear their home state will do them harm])
   2. Settlemement Visas
   3. Extensions of stay (some will be allowed, see below topics)
   4. EU Citizens (Passport holders) will be exempt from restrictions but must register before entry via a new Online portal. Checks will be automatically undertaken for validity of the passport, criminal records and outstanding warrants. Their image will be captured to match the passport and they must be able to verify their home address, similar to how British Citizens prove identity on the Government system. Any EU citizen with outstanding warrants, on a community sentence or that has served a prison sentence in excess of 3 years custody or for a violent or sexual offence will be automatically barred from entry – any attempt will result in immediate arrest and return to their home nation at their expense. If they lack the funds, they will be returned to the EU nation they entered from or France.
   5. All persons entering the UK for any reason must complete an online application, similar to that used for EU nationals, at least 14 days in advance of their arrival. The same restrictions will apply – any person with outstanding warrants, on a community type sentence or that has served a prison sentence in excess of 3 years custody or for a violent offence,  drug related or sexual offence will be automatically barred from entry – any attempt will result in immediate arrest and return to their home nation at their expense – if they lack the funds, they will be imprisoned for 5 years and then returned home.
   6. Work Visa Sponsorship: Where a UK based company or Government Organisation wishes to sponsor a Work Visa for a national of another country this must be done only after evidence has been presented to show that they have either
      1. Advertised the job in conventional media or an online job board for a minimum period of 26 consecutive weeks with no applications that were suitable – evidence of why these applications were not suitable to be provided.
      2. The role is of a very specialised type that cannot be completed by a person already in the country.
      3. The role is an research & educational position on an approved faculty – all Higher Education establishments must register with the Government as a Research and Education provider at an approved standard to take part.
   7. Education Only Visa: Students who wish to enter the country and study in approved Higher Education and other approved educational training faculties must be sponsored by their faculty for the purposes of Entry. Each student must have paid their costs, education and accomodation, for the 12 month period from their entry before entering the country. Where their course may run over multiple years, they should pay each 12 month installment before their application for the following 12 month period. Where payment is not recieved by the deadline, they will be required to leave the UK, return home and reapply.
   8. Emergency Personal Visa: Where a person has family in the UK they may, where there is a “family emergency” apply, online, for an Emergency Personal Visa. This application only relates to Wives, Husbands, Children or direct family members. Evidence of familial connection to be supplied.
   9. Banned Countries List: This is part of our proposal for Ethical Politics and Trade. Diplomatic representatives are exlcuded. A list of countries will be drafted that will be publicly published from which no person may enter the UK for any reason (except approved asylum – see #1 above). This list will be a live online document that will be updated quarterly or as events in that country improve. Countries that will be added to the list will fit into the following categories, one or more may apply. British Citizens will be barred from travelling to these nations and companies with be barred from trade. Citizens who illegally travel to these nations will face legal sanction and companies who trade with them will face significant and serious legal sanctions.  – where UK citizens have direct family in a banned state they may apply for annual travel not exceeding 14 days once per year or for an emergency travel permit to that nation in the event of family matters (death, life threatening serious injury only). Each application will require evidence of familial link and must be a direct family member (Mother, Father, Brother, Sister)
      1. State sponsored terrorism
      2. State sponsored or the tacit approval of espionage
      3. State sponsored extra judicial executions
      4. Human rights abuses.
      5. Currently under International Sanctions
      6. Currently in a state of war (civil or international)
      7. Harbouring internationally recognised terror groups in their borders without taking lawful action against them.
      8. Examples of such Nations as this may apply to (Purely for example only at this stage)
         1. Iran – Human rights, terrorism, espionage, extrajudicial murder.
         2. Lebanon – Terrorism, human rights, extrajudicial murder.
         3. Israel – Human rights, espionage, extrajudicial murder
         4. Afghanistan – Terrorism, human rights, extrajudicial murder
         5. Pakistan -Terrorism, espionage, human rights, extrajudicial murder
         6. Russia – Terrorism, espionage, human rights, extrajudicial murder
         7. North Korea – Terrorism, espionage, human rights, extrajudicial murder
         8. China – Espionage, human rights, extrajudicial murder
         9. Albania -Terrorism, espionage, human rights, extrajudicial murder
         10. Venezuala -Terrorism, espionage, human rights, extrajudicial murder
         11. Cuba– Espionage, human rights, extrajudicial murder
         12. Libya -Terrorism, espionage, human rights, extrajudicial murder
         13. Republic of the Congo – internal conflict, human rights, extrajudicial murder
         14. Yemen – Terrorism, internal conflict, human rights, extrajudicial murder
   10. Restricted Countries List: This is part of our proposal for Ethical Politics and Trade. Nations. Diplomatic Representatives are excluded: Nations on this list shall require FCDO approval to travel or trade with them. These will be nations who operate policies that restrict personal freedoms, are politically restrictive, have human rights concerns or other concerns that we consider unethical. Such nations might be – examples only at this stage. 
       1. Saudi Arabia – Terrorism, espionage, human rights, extrajudicial murder
       2. UAE – Human Rights, Political Freedoms, Media Freedoms
       3. Pakistan – Human Rights, Political Freedoms, Media Freedoms
       4. India – Human Rights, Political Freedoms, Media Freedoms
       5. Vietnam – Human Rights, Political Freedoms, Media Freedoms
       6. Columbia – Human Rights, Political Freedoms, Media Freedoms
       7. Zimbabwe – Human Rights, Political Freedoms, Media Freedoms – Extrajudicial Murder (allegedly)
       8. Bangladesh – Terrorism, unregulated violent crime, Human Rights, Media Freedoms – Extrajudicial murder (allegedly)
       9. Egypt – Terrorism, unregulated violent crime, lawlessnees in large areas, media freedoms.

We understand that there may be many who will disagree with nations that may be added to, or even removed from, the banned list, but this will only occur where there is direct evidence to support claims or removal – this will be published unless it compromises National Security or the identity of an individual who may be put at risk by the publication of said information.

British Democracy believes that we should have an ethics policy that is legally enforceable that all politicians, government agencies, department and companies should abide by. For too many years the UK Governments have sabre rattled about human rights, terrorism, espionage etc, yet they have taken precious few steps to minimise the risks or address blatant examples. It is not the for the people or Government of these Islands to dictate or otherwise instruct other nations how they operate within their borders, however, we firmly believe that nation states that do not live up to the standards required by the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the European Convention on Human Rights, the Geneva Conventions and International Humanitarian Law are not nations that the British Government should have dealings with, except diplomatically, and that UK companies should trade with or that Citizens should not travel to these nations or vice versa, except under very special circumstances. We do not accept other nations telling us how to live – lets not be hypocrits, but we can comment on their behaviour with our wallets and our feet.  Of course, we could add many nations to this list, for example, the United States of America (USA) has never ratified the UN Convention relating to the status of Refugees from 1951, however, they did ratify the updated and amended 1968 Protocol on the Status of Refugees. Is it time for new protocols to be created for Human Rights, Refugees and maritime law – we most certainly think so, we will champion this in the United Nations and nations that refuse to sign updated conventions that gurantee basic human rights will be added to the banned list – without ethics, you cannot have human rights.