I am grateful for that intervention. It reminds us that applying the “pull factor” argument in relation to refugees is inappropriate because they are,
by definition, people who are fleeing persecution across borders and taking journeys that are treacherous and dangerous. When we see families or children making those journeys, we all think of our own families, and think of the circumstances and the desperation that lies behind those desperate acts. In those circumstances, it is of course very important to take into account the push factors.