"Restoring order and control to our borders."
"And it's just getting started."
"This government is clearly hooked on the cheap political points it can score by turning the brutality of enforcement raids into clickbait online entertainment. This style of political communication provokes the kind of anxiety and fear that fuelled the summer riots and the recent violence directed at asylum hotels."
"Only a small proportion of refugees in Europe come to the UK. Those that do come here do so because they have existing links with the UK like having family here, speaking English, or longstanding cultural links. TikTok videos will not change this."
A new Home Office TikTok account called @SecureBordersUK launched with the slogan "Restoring order and control to our borders" and a 20-second video showing handcuffed people being escorted onto planes and raids to arrest illegal workers. The video ends with the message "And it's just getting started." The content has been criticized as turning enforcement brutality into clickbait and as provoking anxiety and fear linked to summer riots and violence against asylum hotels. Calls have been made for ministers to focus on national unity and a more hopeful message about welcoming those seeking sanctuary. The account is presented as aimed at tackling online misinformation and deterring dangerous English Channel crossings. Recorded visits for illegal working rose to 12,791 in 2025, up 57% from 8,122 the previous year, targeting businesses such as nail bars, car washes and bars.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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