161,000 Signatures and a Storm About Benefits
In today’s whirlwind of political protests, a petition aiming to halt the monthly cash, food, and care that asylum seekers receive in the UK has just crossed the 161,000‑signature mark. That’s more than enough to open the debate in the House of Commons – and to make the headlines.
What the Petition Says
The motion warns that “financial and other support” given to asylum seekers – including shelter, food, medical care (optical and dental), and cash aid – might be unintentionally encouraging illegal migration, especially through the English Channel.
Key Points (easily clickable list)
- Stop financial aid for asylum seekers
- Cease all other support (shelter, food, medical)
- Stop cash, optical and dental coverage
- Claim: such benefits push people to cross the Channel illegally
- Ask the government to discontinue all measures and payments
Petition Pulse
This petition has been up for six months and will close on 20 June. The current rules say any petition that gathers 10,000 or more signatures will get a formal government response.
Right now the page says, “Waiting for 3 days for a Government response.” So, in just a few days we’ll know whether the government is going to play along or shove this right back into the archives.
Bottom Line
With more than 161,000 people holding up their voices, this petition has turned into a real contender for Parliament’s attention. Will the government finally listen, or will the petition just keep ticking down? Only time – and a bit of policy drama – will tell.
Harriet Cross and the Alarm Bells of the UK Economy
MP Harriet Cross, representing Gordon and Buchan, rang the alarm in the Commons on Monday. She announced that foreign nationals are pocketing almost £1 billion in benefits every month—a staggering figure that has put the UK’s welfare system under a massive spotlight.
The Rising Tide of Asylum Claims
- Highest asylum claims ever recorded.
- Claims have surged by 9% since the Labour Party took office.
She also highlighted a looming problem at the visa desk: the appeal backlog of 42,000 case files is expected to more than double to almost 100,000 by the end of the year.
Home Secretary’s Frugal Approach
During a media interview, the Home Secretary herself admitted that the new White Paper would cut immigration by a mere 50,000 people.
Cross called this figure “utterly inadequate”.
Demanding Concrete Solutions
Unable to stand idly by, Cross urged the minister to commit today to two decisive measures:
- Reinstating the Conservative‑era £38,000 threshold for visa applicants.
- Introducing a legally binding annual migration cap that brings real accountability.
“Without real deterrence and stricter measures, visa processing delays will only worsen,” she cautioned. “Let’s get the numbers right and make sure the system works for everyone.”
