Letter: She does not speak for us

She is calling on the government to scrap the Rwanda Plan and implement safe and legal routes for asylum seekers to our country.

Ms Blake is perfectly entitled to publicly express her own point of view on any matter, however as a Sheffield elected MP she should not give the impression that she is speaking for her constituents and the Sheffield community when she puts forward her asylum views and takes part in a publicity photo shoot.

Much has been said for and against unlimited migration to our shores, I earnestly believe that if a referendum was held in the UK to allow unlimited migrant/asylum entry it would be defeated by a massive majority. I support her argument in one respect in that the current Rwanda Plan does not cater for large numbers of deportees, it has been reported that one hotel catering for 50 people is all that is currently on offer while they are integrated into their new environment.

Talks are said to be ongoing to get some South American countries including Peru to accept a larger number. However, these countries only want skilled/experienced workers to enhance their economy – an aspiration which we should share. Whether they are allocated to Rwanda or South America, the UK will have to pay substantial subsidy costs to these countries on the deportees arrival.

An effective means of reducing migration to the UK would be for France to take a much more sterner approach to those gathering on their shores, willing to pay thousands of euros for illegal boat traffickers to risk crossing the English Channel – we are paying France many millions to take a tougher approach but see little improvement for our outlay.

Ms Blake quotes a local authority placement cost of c £5000 per week per person and up to £20000 in the private sector. With unlimited entry, these costs would become astronomical and bankrupt the UK in a very short time.

With the current UK economic crisis with people being homeless and others relying on food banks, does she really believe that her call for safe and legal asylum routes to the UK to be a viable one, having no welfare and financial repercussions on the indigenous population?

Cyril Olsen

Busk Meadow, Sheffield, S5