Sir Keir Starmer has handed Italians millions of pounds in a bid to clamp down on migrants arriving illegally into Europe.

UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer meeting with his Italian counterpart (Image: Getty)

The Prime Minister announced the UK will give £4 million to the Rome Process, the Italian government’s project to tackle the root causes of irregular migration.

Sir Keir said: “I am in Italy with a clear message for one of our closest international friends and partners: Britain is a place to do business.

“It is only by resetting our relationships around the world that we can break down the barriers that have been holding the UK back for so long.

“It means we can attract investment such as the significant sum I’m announcing today, create jobs for hardworking British people and deliver on my ultimate mission for the UK – economic growth.”

The Prime Minister met with his Italian counterpart Georgia Meloni to discuss the issue, hours after eight migrants died while trying to cross the English Channel.

At a joint press conference with Ms Meloni, he confirmed £485 million of investment into UK defence, clean growth and innovation by two major Italian companies – Leonardo and Marcegaglia.

This followed a business roundtable with leading Italian bosses in Rome, who together support 17,500 jobs in every part of the UK.

Steel manufacturer Marcegaglia will invest £50 million in Sheffield to build a new clean steel electric arc furnace, creating 50 new jobs.

Leonardo, one of the world’s leading defence, aerospace and security companies, will invest £435 million in 2024, to be spent at their Yeovil site, and in technology development and research programmes across the UK. It operates 8 major sites in the UK, supporting 8,000 employees.

Stefano Pontecorvo, chairman of Leonardo said: “ This investment will support advanced research, thousands of highly skilled jobs and outstanding early careers opportunities at our eight UK sites as well as the resilience of our nationwide supply chain.

“It is clear that the Prime Minister represents a pronounced change in approach for the UK and its relationship with the European Union.”

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MPs could vote on assisted dying before Christmas if Keir Starmer gives green light

Sir Keir vowed his commitment to the issue on a phone call with Dame Esther before he became PM. (Image: Getty)

MPs could vote before Christmas on whether to legalise assisted dying after Sir Keir Starmer backed plans to fast-track it through the Commons, it has been reported

Labour sources have said “the wheels are turning” to arrange a vote once this year’s party conferences are over.

The Daily Express has supported Dame Esther Rantzen’s calls to make time in Parliament for a debate and free vote on assisted dying through the Give Us Our Last Rights crusade.

Sir Keir has shown his support for the vote, previously telling the Childline founder: “We need to make time. We will make the commitment.”

The Prime Minister is said to have decided to accelerate the process after Labour dominated the results of the annual Private Members’ Bill ballot for MPs to put forward their own legislation.

Labour backbencher Jake Richards, who came 11th in the ballot, has offered to put forward an assisted dying Bill.

But as he is too low in the list to guarantee a debate, Labour MPs higher up are being urged to take up the proposal.

A Labour source said: “The wheels are turning. It has been made clear to the MPs at the top of the ballot that the PM backs a change in the law.”

If passed, it would be the most significant legislation to effect social change since the 1960s, when Harold Wilson’s Labour Government reformed laws on abortion, the death penalty and homosexuality.

England’s first ever Citizens’ Jury on assisted dying has ruled that the law should change to give terminally ill people the option of ending their lives with dignity.

A landmark project led by the esteemed Nuffield Council on Bioethics brought together 30 people who were representative of the country’s diverse population.

During seven meetings over eight weeks, they spent 24 hours hearing evidence and discussing in detail whether and how the law should change.

In a final vote, 20 jury members agreed (including 16 “strongly”) that assisted dying should be legalised. Seven disagreed (two “strongly”), one person was undecided, and two could not attend due to illness.

Overall, a clear majority of 71% who took part in the vote were in favour of changing the law.

The Express crusade has amplified the voices of assisted dying campaigners for more than two years and secured a three-hour parliamentary debate on the topic in April.

A Private Member’s Bill recently introduced in the House of Lords on the issue is set to have its second reading on November 15.