Brexit: Johnson says UK has opportunity to expand horizons

The UK began a new relationship with the EU last week when the Brexit transition period ended.During the transition Britain remained subject to the blocs rules as a member of the single market and customs union.

But at 11pm on December 31, this ended. The UK and EU now cooperates under a free trade deal.

Writing in the Telegraph, Mr Farage said that reducing immigration into the UK remains a key issue for Tory voters.

The former MEP said he saw a problem with Home Secretary Priti Patels claims on immigration.

He added: Indeed, 2021 is not even a week old and already the first illegal immigrants have arrived at the Port of Dover.

Mr Farage went on to blast the celebrity do-gooders and lefty lawyers who signed an open letter in November calling for a deportation flight to Jamaica to be cancelled.

He said: Convinced of the evil intent of the government following the Windrush scandal, these celebrities and politicians managed to help prevent some of the deportations from going ahead.

Mr Farage acknowledge that Ms Patel understands the importance of border controls.

He said in 2020, the official number of people coming to these shores via inflatable dinghies reached 8,500.

READ MORE:Nigel Farage attacks BBC for 'impending doom' approach on Brexit

Last week, Ms Patel pledged to use "even tougher powers to keep this country safe and protect our homeland security" after the UK left the EU.

Writing in the Telegraph, she said the Brexit deal "gives our police and security services the tools and partnerships to help keep the public safe".

She added: "And having left the EU means we can give these agencies stronger powers to keep this country safe.

That includes banning foreign criminals who have served more than a year in jail from entering the UK.

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Ms Patel also pledged to crack down on illegal immigration and reform the broken asylum system.

However, Mr Farage said the home secretary faces a problem now that the UK no longer deals with asylum claims under the Dublin regulation.

This regulation allowed British authorities to return people who had previously claimed asylum in another EU member state.

Mr Farage said: The problem for Patel is that, Britain leaving the EU, the Dublin regulations have expired and have not been replaced with anything else.

The French have successfully stalled us, so what will the British government do?

It could simply return to France those who arrive in the UK illegally, but I see a legal problem here too.

He explained that the UK has agreed to remain part of the European Human Rights act.

If the UK violates terms under the European Human Rights act, the whole of the trade agreement could be terminated by the EU" according to Mr Farage.

He added: This is the mess in which Britain now finds itself.

As things stand, the government will continue to face legal challenges if it tries to deport convicted criminals and the cross-Channel migrant route will be as busy as it was last year.

See the rest here:

Nigel Farage rages over post-Brexit immigration mess French have stalled us - Daily Express