The slogan “Stop the boats” (“Stop the boats”) was written on the podium of British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at yesterday’s press briefing on the new immigration policy bill. The slogan was even mentioned twice in a video of the Ministry of the Interior. The “passion” of the conservative government to prevent any immigrant, even from the possibility of applying for asylum, raised a wave of reactions.

The comparison with Germany in the 1930s

One of the strongest reactions was that of Gary Lineker, former England footballer and BBC sports presenter for 24 years. He had previously become more widely known for his comment, after England’s painful elimination by Germany, that “football is a sport where you play 11 against 11 and in the end the Germans win.” This time the comments were very sharper.

Lineker posted the controversial Home Office video on his personal Twitter account, writing: “My God, this is beyond vile.” The issue was escalated when a user commented that it was being ‘skewed’, with Lineker replying: ‘As a country we take in far fewer immigrants than other European countries. This policy is immeasurably harsh on the most vulnerable people, with the language used no different from that used by Germany in the 1930s am I deviating too?’

It was the suggestion of a comparison of British immigration policy to Nazi practices that angered the Conservative government. Interior Minister Suella Braverman said on Wednesday she was “disappointed” by the comments, adding that “our plan is legitimate”. Tory deputy leader Lee Anderson advised Lineker to “stick to football”, with some more passionate Tory MPs calling on the BBC to even sack the presenter.

A BBC spokesman clarified today: “We will be reminding Gary of his responsibilities as the organization has specific regulations on the use of social media.” It should be noted that Gary Lineker has always been a spokesperson for the rights of immigrants, while he has also hosted refugees in his home.

Criticism of London from the UN

The new immigration bill was also commented by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The spokeswoman for the Commission, Vicky Tennant, told the BBC that the new bill is “particularly worrying”, as there is a possibility that it “violates international law”. Along the same lines, the official opposition of the Labor Party predicts that the new bill “will worsen the chaos that already prevails”.

But what is included in the new bill that was tabled in the British Parliament just yesterday? The key points are a complete ban on returning to the country or acquiring British citizenship for anyone who leaves the UK. In addition, refugees and migrants will have no right to have their case examined by a legal body in the first 28 days of their detention and it is reported that there will be a specific limit on the number of migrants the UK will accept even if it has followed safe and legal street.

In 2018, 300 refugees and migrants reached the country through the English Channel, while the total number from 2022 has soared to 45,000. A meeting between British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and French President Emmanuel Macron is scheduled for Friday, focusing on this specific issue.