If you want to come and live in the UK, as a non-British passport holder, you have three options. You can be an economic migrant, where, if you meet the criteria of our points-based immigration system, you are welcome to support our economy and society. Alternatively, as a refugee, you are entitled to stay in the first country of sanctuary, unless special arrangements have been made, such as our Afghan or Ukrainian refugee support. Or you can be an asylum seeker, where you can claim asylum in any country, seeking escape from a regime where you may have been persecuted for, for example, your political, religious beliefs, or sexual identity.

The so called small boat problem, has reached a benchmark 100,000 Channel crossers since the crises began in 2018. 300 came 5 years ago; 1,800 in 2019; 8,500 in 2020, 28,500 in 2021, 46,000 last year. So far this year, numbers are up 12% for the same period.

With two asylum hotels here in Wyre Forest, local residents can be excused for asking what on earth is going in the world. Over the last few years, tens of thousands of overwhelmingly young men have left behind their families, wives and children, to come a seek asylum here in the UK. What sudden rise in political, or religious persecution has suddenly erupted across countries like Albania, that is a candidate to join the EU – known for its rules on, amongst other things, inclusion?

This change in numbers arriving has resulted in a vast industry of lawyers acting for asylum seekers, holding up the processing of claims. Astonishingly, the Daily Mail uncovered lawyers encouraging claimants to put in false claims, seeking to game our system. New rules mean dodgy lawyers acting in such a way will go to prison for a long time.

It has been suggested that we speed up processing. Good idea, but with a labour shortage, it would helpful if those making these suggestions would like to propose which public services we deprive of workers.

Meanwhile, some people are upset at the accommodation being offered to asylum seekers. The Bibby Stockholm barge is, by some, seen as inhuman. But I am bemused how this accommodation is good enough for our service personnel, or those working in the oil and gas industry, but not for those who may turn out to be in the UK illegally.

This debate is causing a lot of tension in our society. We in this country play by the rules, but we expect others to do so too.