Sir Keir Starmer has expressed his anger over the growing number of migrants crossing the English Channel, revealing that under Labour, deportations have exceeded 24,000 since the last general election. The Labour leader stated that “ordinary working people pay the price” for illegal migration, citing pressure on public services and taxpayer-funded hotel accommodation. He called for “decisive action” to address the issue, noting that returns under Labour are the highest in eight years.
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At a global summit on immigration crime, Sir Keir highlighted the success of Labour’s deportation efforts, claiming that under the Conservative government’s Rwanda plan, it would have taken 80 years to achieve the same number of returns. The summit, aimed at tackling organised immigration crime, also saw Sir Keir announce £33 million in funding for foreign prosecutors to target smuggling gangs worldwide. Drawing from his experience as head of the Crown Prosecution Service, Sir Keir proposed a similar strategy to combat these gangs, comparing their actions to those of terrorist organisations.
While Sir Keir’s comments were aimed at rallying international support, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak faced growing pressure over the increase in small boat crossings, with 6,642 migrants arriving so far this year. Sir Keir stressed the need for collaborative action to dismantle smuggling networks but also acknowledged the frustrations of voters dealing with the consequences of migration. Both leaders are under scrutiny as the number of migrants arriving by boat continues to rise.
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However, critics like Enver Solomon, CEO of the Refugee Council, warned that enforcement measures alone would not solve the issue. He argued that criminalising refugees would not deter those fleeing conflict. Steve Smith from Care4Calais also called for safe asylum routes, suggesting that such solutions were both simple and effective. Meanwhile, Natasha Tsangarides from Freedom from Torture dismissed the summit as a missed opportunity, insisting that criminalising refugees would not stop dangerous crossings.
