Enough with the Fortress Britain nonsense - let's get real about people

Honestly, the way we treat people seeking refuge in this country just makes me sick. It feels like every policy is designed to make things as miserable as possible, a sort of deterrent by sheer unpleasantness. We're so quick to talk about border control and security, but forget that these are human beings fleeing unimaginable situations. It's a stain on our supposed values.

Instead of building walls and sending people to offshore camps, we should be focusing on a fair and humane asylum process. That means properly funded processing centres here, with qualified staff who can actually assess claims efficiently and empathetically. People should have the right to work once they've been here for a reasonable period, contributing to our society and economy, not living on scraps.