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Royal Navy patrol ship HMS Tyne with her support vessel on patrol in the Channel off the coast of Dover, Kent, as small boat incidents involving people thought to be migrants continue
PRITI PATEL’S “inhumane” pushback policy has been officially abandoned by the government in a humiliating climbdown for the Home Secretary.
The withdrawal of the proposal to give the border force powers in the Channel to turn small boats back to France comes just over a week before a legal action against the policy was due to be heard in the High Court.
The four groups due to bring the judicial review — Freedom from Torture, Care4Calais, trade union PCS representing border force staff and Channel Rescue — had argued that the policy was unlawful and put lives in danger.
Secret consultation documents finally released after the Morning Star’s two-year freedom of information battle show the Home Office misrepresented public opinion, claiming support for policies that most respondents actually strongly criticised as dangerous and unfair, writes SOLOMON HUGHES
