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allow people to judge the evidence. That is much more powerful than simply shouting at one another. ## Britain needs control, not chaos A country cannot function properly if large numbers of its citizens believe that the government has lost control of an important part of its borders. But neither can a country function properly if anger turns into attacks on people who happen to be different. Britain needs something in between. It needs control. It needs enforcement. It needs fairness. And it needs calm. The objective should be to reduce irregular migration through **law, policy, diplomacy and practical action**. That is how a democratic country should respond. And there is one final question. If we know what is wrong, and we know what principles a better system should follow, **which changes should Britain actually make first?** # Chapter Fifteen ## The First Steps By now, the reader should have a clear picture of the problem. Small boats are only the visible part. Behind them are people smugglers, asylum claims, delays, accommodation, appeals, returns, international agreements and public frustration. So if Britain genuinely wants to reduce irregular migration, where should it begin? Not with another slogan. Not with another press conference. With a plan. ## First: Tell the public the truth The first step should be transparency. Every month, the Government should publish a straightforward set of figures. How many people arrived irregularly? How many asylum claims were made? How many were accepted? How many were refused? How many people were returned? How many cases are still waiting? How much was spent on accommodation? And how long are people waiting for decisions? The figures should be presented in ordinary language. No political spin. No hiding behind complicated tables. If the situation is improving, the public should know. If it is getting worse, the public should know that too. ## Second: Clear the backlog The next priority should be the asylum backlog. A backlog creates problems everywhere else. It increases accommodation costs. It keeps people waiting. It makes returns more difficult. And it makes the entire system look ineffective. Britain should therefore provide the resources necessary to process cases quickly and accurately. That does not mean rushing people through without considering their claims. It means making sure there are enough trained people to do the work properly. ## Third: Create a clear timetable There should be a realistic target for asylum decisions. Some cases will inevitably be complicated. But a person should not be left for years simply because the system cannot cope. The Government should publish its targets and then publish whether it has achieved them. If it has not, explain why. Then fix the problem. ## Fourth: Make final decisions meaningful Once all legitimate legal processes have been completed, the outcome needs to mean something. If someone is entitled to protection, grant it. If someone has another legal basis for staying, recognise it. If someone has no legal right to remain, begin the process of departure. A decision that has no practical consequence undermines confidence in the whole system. ## Fifth: Build effective return agreements Britain needs practical agreements with countries that will accept people who have no right to remain. Those agreements should be negotiated seriously. They should include clear procedures for identifying people and issuing travel documents. And they should be regularly reviewed. Diplomacy should be used to make these arrangements work. ## Sixth: Target the criminal networks The people smugglers should be treated as serious organised criminals. The priority should be the organisers. The financiers. The suppliers. The people arranging the boats. The people recruiting customers.