Prime Minister Andy Burnham is facing criticism for staying silent on the migrant crisis, even as protests have flared along England's South Coast, including a blockade at the Port of Dover and demonstrations in Portsmouth. In this opinion piece, Dr Alan Mendoza argues that mass Channel migration has escalated into a national emergency that the Government is deliberately avoiding, suggesting Burnham is prioritising vote-friendly domestic issues ahead of a possible snap election rather than risk alienating either his party's left wing or its working-class base.

The article highlights that Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has been accused of abandoning pledges to tackle abuse of Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) rules, with successful ILR claims reaching 199,628 in the 12 months to June, a 24% annual rise and roughly one approval every two minutes. It also notes that around two million migrants have arrived in Britain over the past five years, that those granted status can cost taxpayers heavily over their lifetimes, and that migrants become eligible for full welfare and council housing after five years, adding pressure to the benefits budget as 2021's arrivals reach that threshold.