# Are you paying attention Mr Burnham? Spain’s foreign minister vows to send ‘every last person’ back to Morocco who stormed Spanish enclave of Ceuta

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/are-you-paying-attention-mr-burnham-spains-foreign-minister-vows-to-send-every-last-person-back-to-morocco-who-stormed-spanish-enclave-of-ceuta/
- Published: 2026-08-11T15:31:29+00:00
- Updated: 2026-08-24T12:23:11+00:00
- Original publisher: Daily Mail (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16044855/Are-you-paying-attention-Mr-Burnham-Spains-foreign-minister.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
- Topics: Celebrity, Entertainment, Europe, Government, Politics, World

## Key points

- Spain vows to return all 70,000 migrants who stormed Ceuta from Morocco
- About 70 died in the crossing; 60,000 already sent back
- EU nations pushing tougher stance on illegal border crossings

## Summary

Spain's foreign minister, José Manuel Albares, has pledged to return "every last person" to Morocco after 70,000 migrants stormed the Spanish enclave of Ceuta last month, taking advantage of weak border security to swim across from Morocco. Visiting Ceuta, he insisted that crossing into the territory, which is Spanish and EU soil bordering Morocco in North Africa, "does not grant anyone the right to remain," and warned potential future migrants not to risk their lives and money on a crossing "doomed to fail." The article contrasts this hardline approach with what it characterises as a softer response from Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham to Channel small boat crossings into the UK.

Around 70 people died during the Ceuta crossing, either by drowning or being crushed at the border fence, and the incident prompted some European leaders to call for Spain's temporary suspension from the Schengen free-travel zone. Of those who entered, roughly 60,000 have reportedly already been returned to Morocco, though Ceuta's president, Juan Jesús Vivas, said up to 10,000 people remained in the enclave, calling the situation "unsustainable." The episode comes amid a broader push among EU nations for tougher measures against illegal crossings, including a call by Greek premier Kyriakos Mitsotakis for emergency powers to suspend asylum claims during migrant surges.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.