UK aims to deter Albanian refugees with ‘make clear the perils’ ad campaign
- The government would not say how much the publicity drive will cost but said it is ‘determined to stop boats’ crossing Channel and ‘dispel myths about illegal travel’
- Critics said ‘PR spin’ would not deter refugees ‘who have experienced some of the worst things imaginable from war and conflict to torture and human rights abuses’
The British government will launch an ad campaign aimed at deterring Channel crossings to the UK with the message that people “face being detained and removed” if they make the journey.
The Home Office would not say how much the publicity drive is expected to cost but announced it will also “make clear the perils” migrants may encounter on small boats when it starts in Albania next week.
Critics have branded the campaign “pointless” after the number of Channel crossings remained high despite similar measures implemented by the Home Office last year.
Adverts in Albanian on Facebook and Instagram were launched in August to try and deter people from making the journey.
Record numbers of people crossed the channel last year and more than 6,000 have been detected making the journey so far in 2023.
According to the Home Office, Albania is a “safe and prosperous country” and many nationals “are travelling through multiple countries to make the journey to the UK” before making “spurious asylum claims when they arrive”.