How did it become “fact” that our asylum system has been broken by the people fleeing war, rather than by those who run it? The insanity of a “deterrent” involving deporting four people to Rwanda at a price of £700m is now giving way to ministers breaking more than 70 years of convention to offer not sanctuary but suspicion. If we want to stop the boats we need to stop the BS when it comes to what creates refugees, and how to respond to them.

Parliament is gripped by fear that “asylum shopping” is widespread, that bearded men peruse policy documents before jumping into dinghies and heading for Great Yarmouth. Even those who recognise X is not a credible source from which to make asylum policy seem resigned to the idea that there are votes in treating all who ask for help as likely to abuse it. In response to a far-right challenge, this government is proposing to keep victims of torture or persecution in a perpetual limbo by only offering them temporary sanctuary. If they wish to stay they will have to reapply for refugee status every two and a half years. Rather than being able to apply for indefinite leave to remain after five years, they will have to wait 20.

This is not just performatively cruel, it’s economically misjudged. There is scant evidence that Denmark’s decision to refuse to grant longterm asylum to most has deterred anyone who would have chosen Denmark as a destination. It’s also clear........

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