Lord Alton: unless root causes of mass displacement are tackled, there will be no end to the migration crisis

Lord Alton - Screenshot

Lord Alton of Liverpool gave a powerful speech in the debate on the Borders Security Bill in the House of Lords this evening, Wednesday, 3 September 2025. He told Parliament that unless the root causes of mass displacement are tackled - with 123 million people displaced globally - and galvanise a coherent international response, there will be no end to the migration crisis.

Lord Alton said: "The situation in Darfur is absolutely horrific - if you or I were in Darfur we would probably also try to make that dangerous journey..."

He pointed out that most people who flee Darfur die in the attempt to leave - either in Chad or Libya or at the bottom of the Mediterranean.

"We talk about it being our crisis but is their crisis as much as it is ours.." he said.

Lord Alton also highlighted the fiction of describing Rwanda as a human rights compliant country and described the abuses taking place in the country that have been recorded by the United States and humanitarian organisations.

He concluded: "We should stop blaming one another, trying to score political points.. realise this issue is being exploited by people who have no great love of democracy.. who have no great love of the rule of law.. who are taking people onto the streets and capitalising on this crisis.. and if we don't find solutions to this, then I fear for the stability of our communities, the danger to law and order, and indeed to the very vulnerable people whom all of us I think, in this house, are trying to protect."

Watch the entire speech here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7uK1zhIYbA