UK panel asks govt to scrap plan to turn back migrant boats

By DANICA KIRKA and JILL LAWLESS
Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — A U.K. parliamentary committee has criticized government plans to deter migrants from trying to reach Britain in small boats, saying they will endanger lives without stopping dangerous journeys like the one that killed 27 people last week. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has proposed legislation that would give authorities patrolling the English Channel the power to turn away boats carrying migrants. The Joint Committee on Human Rights, a panel that includes members from both houses of Parliament, said Wednesday that “a policy of pushbacks” would probably conflict with international human rights law and maritime law. More than 25,000 people have reached Britain on small boats this year, up from 8,500 in 2020.