Record numbers of migrants have arrived illegally on England’s south coast this year. Keir Starmer’s promise to ‘smash the gangs’ of people smugglers has made no notable dent on the small-boats emergency. Meanwhile, deportations of illegal migrants – including those who have committed serious crimes – are routinely blocked in the courts. Here, Tony Smith – former head of the UK Border Force, now managing director at Fortinus Global – explains how Britain lost control of its borders. Human-rights law and international conventions, Tony argues, have been weaponised by an activist judiciary. The result is an asylum policy that no one voted for and that benefits criminals over the genuinely deserving.