Labour's 'migrant policy vacuum' scolded by Widdecombe as Channel deaths continue: 'They have no deterrent!'
WATCH NOW: Ann Widdecombe reacts to the death of a child in the Channel
GB News
Former Conservative MP Ann Widdecombe has criticised Labour's "vacuum" approach to migration policy following the tragic death of a two-year-old boy during an attempted Channel crossing.
Four migrants lost their lives this weekend as they attempted to reach British shores in a small boat. French authorities reported that the young child was "trampled to death" amidst the chaos.
The boat, carrying nearly 90 people, suffered engine failure off the coast of France.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper described the loss of life as "appalling" and vowed to increase cooperation with French authorities.
Ann Widdecombe accused Labour of having 'no deterrent' to tackle the UK's growing migrant crisis
PA / GB News
Discussing the tragedy on GB News, Widdecombe lambasted Labour for what she perceives as a lack of concrete policies to address the ongoing migrant crisis.
Hitting out at Starmer, Widdecombe said: "They look as if they're going to let the numbers continue, they've got no policy, as I've said on this program, many, many times, they have no policy.
"Their policy was to ditch Rwanda, so we knew they were going to ditch a deterrent, but they didn't put any deterrent in its place."
Dismissing Labour's approach to tackling smuggling gangs as "nebulous", the Reform UK spokesperson asserted that the government has a "complete policy vacuum", and dismantling one gang simply leads to another taking its place.
Four migrants including a two-year-old were killed during one of the latest Channel crossings from France
PA
Widdecombe told GB News: "What you need is a deterrent, they haven't bought that. There's a complete policy vacuum.
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"They have a real vacuum with no policies at all either to deter or to speed things up or to cope with the situation. Just none, none at all."
Widdecombe drew comparisons between Labour's approach and the previous Conservative government's policies, adding: "The Tories had a very weak deterrent in Rwanda because they couldn't get it off the ground.
"But it was at least a deterrent.
"The only way you're going to stop the boats coming is if there is something here that they don't want to have to deal with."
Ann Widdecombe warned that there will be 'more tragedies' under Labour without a policy in place
GB News
Widdecombe then stressed that this ongoing situation would inevitably lead to "more tragedies", including those involving women and children.
She suggested stricter measures, such as "universal detentions" instead of housing migrants in hotels with freedom of movement.
Widdecombe warned: "Unless you actually have something like that, you won't stop the boats.
"And as I've said already, if you don't stop the boats, you won't stop the tragedies."
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