Will Sunak’s ‘Stop the Boats’ policy have perverse consequences? A research agenda

4 The Centre on Migration, Policy & Society (COMPAS) In the case of cross-Channel migration, given the uncertainty of our knowledge about the countries of origin and the near ubiquity of illegal movement, it is unlikely that the data for a dummy variable method could be collected. [...] Peach (1967: 39) summarizes his findings in this way: The emphasis on the small number of immigrants after the application of the Act was mistaken: the essential point was the large number who came in in the eighteen months prior to the Act's enforcement. [...] The social psychology of the migration decision In all the cases discussed there is a marked lack of attention to the motivations, reactions, ambitions, expectations and general attitudes of the principal actors, the migrants, themselves. [...] In the case of Sunak’s ‘Stop the Boats’ policy, the dialogue has also been between the cabinet and the different factions of the Tory party – an important section of which wants restrictions both because of their convictions and in response to electoral calculations. [...] When developing a research agenda to address the issue of possible perverse consequences arising from the Illegal Immigrants Bill it is perhaps unnecessary to decide the question of 11 The Centre on Migration, Policy & Society (COMPAS) whether the policy is intended to slow migration or a sleight of hand to give that illusion.