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The of 31Ìýpeople off the coast of after attempting to cross the Channel to reach the UK has forced from Priti Patel. We are used to the Home Office's Secretary of State aiming her vitriol towardsÌýthose journeying to seek asylum, but this time Patel is also fixated on another villain:ÌýSmugglers.

As much as smugglers need to be taken down – there is no sympathyÌýfor this antagonist – they are not the root cause of the problem. The experiences faced by refugees, the irresponsible policy established against migrationÌýand the political rabble-rousing led to this latestÌýdisaster, and a continuation of the tunnel vision approach will not prevent further deaths at sea.

There will always be other actors whoÌýemerge to fill a need that simply is not goingÌýaway.

The incident that occurred on 24 November involved the Ìýever recorded onÌýthe migration route to Britain since it became a concern. The numbers have tripled from less than 10,000 in 2020 to more than 25,000 this year so far.

"As much as smugglers need to be taken down – there is no sympathyÌýfor this antagonist – they are not the root cause of the problem"

This increase has occurred despite the ever-increasing hostile environment in the UK and France againstÌýmigrants, with both enacting restrictiveÌýpolicy, including the recent Home Office proposals to offshore the processing of asylum seekers and forcibly return boats filled with people to France.

Humanitarian responses to migrant and refugee needs mustÌýreplace counter-migration measures such asÌýthe Ìýon tightening the border and other harsh policies that was happening not long prior toÌýthe incident.

SmugglersÌýare noÌýinnocent parties in this issue. TheyÌýdemandÌýthousands of Euros for perilous passage to Britain,Ìýand while law enforcement efforts may successfully dismantle a significant portion of these networks, where there is a demand, supply will be sure to follow.

Moreover, smuggling routesÌý to changing circumstances, and when the task is made more difficult causingÌýthe risks to beÌýgreater, it only pushes up the fees for desperate people on the move.ÌýSo, singularly focusingÌýon enforcement seems to only heighten the potential for exploitation.

It is funny then that Patel only talks about pull factors of migration to Britain – meaning the motivating force behind those seekingÌýDover's shores. But what about the push factors (the conditions in peoples' home countries thatÌýcompel them to leave)? Clearly, lost in the narrative coming out ofÌýthe UK government is theÌýrefugees' own experiences.

The migrants who died that Wednesday are widely thought to be from Iraqi Kurdistan and Afghanistan, where economic conditions or the political situation are precarious. These migrants cannot ask for asylum in France, and French officials regularly subject people living in the migrant encampments around Calais to .

The imposed on them through mass eviction operations, police harassment and restricted access to humanitarian assistance make it difficult to stay. These practices are deliberate attempts, says , at forcing people to move on without providing solutions to their migration or housing status.

Many migrants and refugees have also had their fingerprints taken in another EU country. According to the , it would mandate responsibility to that country for their asylum claims, making France a nonstarter for the process.

While the UK policy environment is not the warmest welcome for migrants and refugees, the language and family links allow some hope to those trying toÌýbuild a home away from home. However, the number of asylum claims in Britain have not necessarily increased over the years. More people are the Channel route because, despite the dangers in one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world, it is deemed more successful due to now stringent checks on trucks and lorries by road.

Blaming the smugglers is, however, one thing the UK and France have agreed upon amid a political spat between them that is escalating to the extent that sensible policy discussions have been replaced by political point-scoring. For example, so upsetÌýwas French president Emmanuel Macron atÌýthe UK Prime Minister's to him, via Twitter, expressing what MacronÌýshould be doing on the matter, that the French uninvited the UK to a meeting of European Ministers is discussÌýhow to crack down on the problem.

The UK has been no better with Boris Johnson who seems to be looking toÌýscapegoat France toÌýhelp detract from the Conservative leader's own political woes at home as variousÌýTory MPs areÌý filing letters of no confidence in their leader.

France has rejected the idea of a joint British-French patrol in the English Channel, saying it is 'a matter of our sovereignty'.

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Still, the party's line on immigration is likely to be the same whether Johnson delivers on itÌýor does not. The idea of lowering numbers of migrats coming into the UK are unfortunately more appealing to voters, and it is also a sentiment not lost on Macron either forÌýFrench elections coming up next year.

Nevertheless, the current trajectory will likelyÌýonly see more people attempting toÌýcross the Channel, and if the UK and France wants to figure out ways to solve that issue, theyÌýhave to start changing their politics and embraceÌýmore responsible messages aboutÌýmigration and expandingÌýlegal pathways for migrants and refugees that allows them to settle legally in the lands.

There are many ways policymakers can doÌýthis.

Simply allow people to apply for asylum from overseas embassies, widen the family reunification rules, andÌýimprove internal asylum application processing.Ìý These small measures go a long way. And it is notable that, for example, the Afghan Resettlement Scheme promised by the UK in the wake of Afghanistan's Taliban takeover is still not underway.

"the trueÌývilliansÌýin this storyÌýare notÌýmerelyÌýthe smugglers givingÌýpeople wretched boat; they areÌýthe decision-makers making that boatÌýtheir only choice"

However, such initiatives are neverÌýpopular among present-day governments when they are aware thatÌýimmigration is a majorÌýhot button issue toÌýsway voters.

It is imperative thatÌýpoliticians and officials mustÌýhelp change the rhetoric on migration and supportÌýpeople to see that bringing in economic migrants and allowing refugees to work in an ageing nation like the UK is actually veryÌý. It certainly serves us better than creating impossible conditions for refugees and migrants to thrive, let aloneÌýsurvive.

Without a radical shift in the approach on migration, the trueÌývilliansÌýin this storyÌýare notÌýmerelyÌýthe smugglers givingÌýpeople wretched boat; they areÌýthe decision-makers making that boatÌýtheir only choice.

Sophia Akram is a researcher and communications professional with a special interest in human rights, particularly across the Middle East.

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