At the recent Liberal Democrats annual conference, there was a suggestion to rename small boats crossing the Channel as “Brexit boats.” This proposal came after party leader Sir Ed Davey criticized Nigel Farage for not apologizing to voters for the loss of the ability to return migrants to Europe post-Brexit. The idea of labeling these boats as “Brexit boats” was discussed by a delegate from the Mole Valley Liberal Democrats group, emphasizing the impact of Brexit on the issue.

Lord Mike German supported the concept of “Brexit boats” as a reference to the Dublin agreement, which the UK exited upon leaving the European Union. Sir Ed Davey highlighted the consequences of Brexit, noting that the UK’s withdrawal from the EU resulted in losing access to the Dublin agreement, which previously allowed asylum seekers to be returned to the first EU country they reached.

Regarding this stance, Sir Ed Davey called for accountability from Nigel Farage and the Conservatives, suggesting they should apologize for dismantling the return agreements that existed pre-Brexit. Critics have challenged this perspective, with Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp accusing the Liberal Democrats of distorting facts and history.

Data from the Home Office revealed that from 2015 to 2018, the UK made numerous outgoing requests under the Dublin agreement to transfer individuals to other EU member states. However, only a small percentage of these requests were accepted, indicating a complex and challenging process.