I know this country is an open, tolerant and generous place. And I am proud of the fact that we have always offered sanctuary to those fleeing peril.

This is, after all, the country that gave refuge to Ukrainians after the Russian invasion and Afghans after the evacuation of Kabul, and honoured our historic commitments to the people of Hong Kong.

But the public also rightly expect that we can control our borders, determining who can enter and who must leave.

Today, that is not the case. In recent years, the pace and scale of illegal migration has been profound. In an increasingly volatile and more mobile world, huge numbers of people are on the move. While some are refugees, others are economic migrants, seeking to take advantage of the asylum system. Even some genuine refugees have been passing through other safe countries searching for the most attractive place to seek sanctuary.

The pressure placed on local communities has been profound. The burden borne by taxpayers has been unfair. More than 100,000........

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