The right to appeal
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Great news. But why did it need two judges to decide it? We're talking about the fact that international hauliers caught with economic migrants (a more accurate description than illegal immigrants) in the back of their trucks now have the right of appeal against fines (see opposite). Leaving the Immigration Service to be judge, jury, executioner and court of appeal was simply not on. Why wasn't there a proper appeal system right from the beginning? Recently Commercial Motor has carried several stories of hauliers who clearly took every sensible step to avoid picking up unwanted passengers—and still had a nasty surprise when they landed in the UK.
CM welcomes the fact that the ferry companies, and now Eurotunnel, are actively exercising their clear responsibilities in the battle to break the illegal immigrant transport chain—it's interesting to note just how many stowaways have been "found" on ferries lately as the operating companies were hit with the same harsh lines as hauliers.
And Eurotunnel has been busy investing in razor wire around its French freight terminal to stop these desperate people trying to hop on a passing train.
Of course, the real issue of illegal immigration is one for the politicians to answer. And it brings up the obvious question: "Why are all these people so keen to come to the UK in the first place?" No doubt we'll be accused of being uncaring, or reactionary, by daring to suggest that there's a limit to how many of Europe's "huddled masses" we can take. But if it means our international hauliers aren't prosecuted unfairly, then we're not afraid to ask the uncomfortable questions.