My Lords, justice and immigration offences should make a distinction between those seeking illegal entry and desperate people seeking
asylum or who eventually receive it. Immigration offences must also make a distinction between the trafficker and the rescuer. They are two completely different creatures. Surely there is wit and wisdom in government to be able to make a distinction in the Bill in relation to these two categories of humanity.
I too congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Macdonald of River Glaven, on his patience and his eloquence about why putting people’s lives at risk at sea is contrary to international law. I fear that international law is not always the most persuasive argument with the Government so instead I just say: let us not put people’s lives at risk at sea. It is cruel and inhumane. It is not who we are. It is just plain wrong.