The government’s latest efforts to resolve the seemingly intractable problem of people crossing the Channel raises as many questions as answers.

If there is to be new legislation ‘banning’ them coming, how will it be implemented? Where will they stay while awaiting news of appeals? Who will be responsible for providing accommodation? What will happen if they are found to be here unlawfully? Does the government have the support of other countries?

It is unlikely that we will be any more informed by tomorrow but for the Conservatives that won’t matter: the overriding priority here is to ensure voters understand ‘something is being done’ - even if the something is a re-hash of the old rather than the new.

As to the political imperative driving this policy carpet bombing, well look at any calendar, turn to May 5 and you’ll understand.

Local council elections loom and if it is to be believed, prospective hopefuls are finding if there is one thing on the minds of voters it is not the bin collection, the state of roads or public toilets.

It is the perception that nothing much has been done, or is being done, to address the ‘small boats’ issue.

The vote in May across all parts of the county will be a litmus test for how the parties are seen by voters with perhaps just a year before a general election.

Having staked its claim to ‘Get Brexit Done’ thereby getting back control of our borders, the government is finding this particular political Rubik's cube a tough one to crack.

On the question of the anticipated schedule for when a failed asylum seeker is ordered to return, the answer is: “as soon as is reasonably practicable.”

That’s a phrase politicians fall back on when they don’t know the answer - or possibly do know the answer but are keeping it under wraps for fear of frightening voters.

So, stand by for a political frenzy of activity tomorrow, much of which will be accompanied by some rhetoric that might sound very familiar. Successive home secretaries often talk tough but fail to back it up, or if they do, it goes awry - one notable policy that sunk was bringing in the Navy to ‘push back’ dinghies into French waters.

As to whether they stack up to a coherent strategy that really will see small boats and dinghies stopped from crossing the Channel? We’ll find out as soon as is reasonably practical.