Britain is a compassionate country. We always have, and always will hold out a hand to those who need help.

We have a proud history of welcoming those fleeing persecution or oppression and our actions during the ongoing war in Ukraine just underline that commitment.

The UK has always offered a number of legal and safe routes for refugees and migrants to enter the country and we have seen these people enrich our society and make a positive contribution.

However, these safe and legal routes cannot be undermined by the current events happening in the English Channel, in which we see the criminal gangs of people smugglers profiting from boats carrying migrants across the channel.

Those coming on boats mostly aren’t women and children, the majority are young males taking this route into the country, with many from safe countries like Albania.

Some may be desperate and legitimate but a flight from Albania can cost as little as £28, so it does make me question who exactly are these young men paying far more than that to enter this dangerous way.

Stopping the boats is the only way to break the business model of the people-smugglers and deter criminals from entering the country.

But what is now clear to me and many of my constituents is that we cannot continue to allow illegal and dangerous channel crossings that have been allowing mostly young males into our country.

The Welsh public are fair-minded and tolerant. But we are fed up with the continued flouting of our laws and immigration rules to game our asylum system

People have rightly had enough of the persistent abuse of human rights laws to thwart the removal of those with no right to be in the UK.

This must end. Saying so is not xenophobic or anti-immigration. It is the reality acknowledged and felt by the vast majority of the British and Welsh public. To pretend otherwise is to insult them. All countries have their limits.

That’s why I’m delighted that UK government has made it a top priority to stop the boats and ensure that people who come here illegally aren’t allowed to stay.

The ‘Stop the Boats’ Bill will fulfil that promise by ending illegal entry as a route to asylum in the UK.

People who arrive in the UK illegally will be detained and quickly removed to their home country if safe, or another safe country, such as Rwanda.

Anyone illegally entering the UK will not be allowed to abuse our world-leading modern slavery laws to block their removal. On top of this, any challenges or human rights claims from left-wing lawyers will also only be heard after removal, remotely.

By ending illegal immigration as a route to asylum, stopping the boats and taking back control of our borders, the bill will ensure the UK Government delivers on its promise to get a grip of the situation and stop the boats once and for all.