Kent’s Reform UK-led council will this week announce an “illegal immigration emergency,” marking the first declaration of its kind in the UK. This bold move is a direct challenge to the Labour UK Government, demanding immediate action to “stop the boats” and provide full funding for the costs associated with illegal arrivals.
Councillors will press for robust “resilience structures and emergency planning” to manage the ongoing crisis. The motion, set to go before councillors on Thursday, explicitly states that Kent is at the “forefront of this invasion,” highlighting the severe financial burdens and consequences for local crime, culture, and community cohesion.
Official figures reveal over 68,000 people have arrived in the UK via small boats since Labour took power in July 2024, with more than 3,400 arriving this year alone. The motion attributes this crisis to a “failure of the state under both national Labour and Conservative administrations.”
Reform UK’s proposed solutions include detaining and deporting all small boat arrivals, leaving the European Convention on Human Rights, and returning illegal migrants to France. They also advocate for a new Department for Immigration, rapid offshore asylum processes, and the deportation of all foreign criminals.
This declaration aims to focus national attention on Kent’s specific needs and pressure the “ineffective Labour government” to take meaningful action. A Home Office spokesperson defended Labour’s record, stating they have “stopped over 40,000 crossing attempts and removed or deported almost 60,000 people,” pledging to continue until migration is controlled.
