Starmer backs ‘return hubs’ overseas for failed asylum seekers – but says it’s NOT just a reheated version of of Tories’ Rwanda scheme_Nhy
Sir Keir Starmer has backed the idea of failed asylum seekers being sent from Britain to ‘return hubs’ overseas – but denied it would be a repeat of the Rwanda scheme.
The Prime Minister said he would look at any policies to tackle illegal migration if they were cost-effective and did not breach international law.
His comments came after the European Union gave states the green light to pay third countries to take migrants whose asylum claims have been rejected.
Britain is expected to approach countries in the Balkans such as Albania and ask them if they want to set up the first centres for arrivals from nations like Iran and Afghanistan, who cannot be returned to their home countries.
It would differ from the Tories‘ flagship policy of putting illegal migrants on one-way flights to Rwanda without first allowing them to claim asylum, which was grounded by courts because judges ruled the east African country was not a safe destination.
Asked at his major summit on immigration crime if the UK was looking at return hubs, Sir Keir replied: ‘The in-principle approach that we take is that we will look at anything that works.
‘Obviously that’s got to be consistent with international law and it’s got to be cost-effective – the Rwanda scheme was neither of those.
‘But we are working with other countries on anything that we think will work.’
Sir Keir Starmer’s comments came after the European Union gave states the green light to pay third countries to take migrants whose asylum claims have been rejected
Britain is expected to approach countries in the Balkans such as Albania and ask them if they want to set up the first centres for arrivals from nations like Iran and Afghanistan, who cannot be returned to their home countries.
He added that he had already been to Italy to have an ‘in-depth discussion’ with its premier Giorgia Meloni about her proposals for tackling illegal migration, which include processing asylum seekers in Albania.
She said in a video message played to delegates at the Organised Immigration Crime Summit in Lancaster House: ‘A model that was criticised at first, but that then has gained increasing consensus, so much so that today, European Union is proposing to set up return hubs in third countries. This means that we were right and that the courage to lead the way has been rewarded.’
The PM also announced that the Home Office has returned more than 24,000 people with no right to be in the UK since Labour took power.
There were 24,103 returns between July 5 and March 22 – the highest number for eight years – including 3,594 foreign criminals.
However the number of people reaching the UK in dinghies across the Channel is also at record levels with close to 6,000 arriving so far this year.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp asked in the Commons: ‘Will the minister now accept the Government’s plan to “smash the gangs” lies in tatters? Crossings are up by 31 per cent since the election, they’re about to break 30,000 and the first three months of this year have been the worst on record.
‘Does she now accept it was a catastrophic mistake to cancel the Rwanda deterrent before it even started?’
Immigration minister Dame Angela Eagle admitted on Times Radio: ‘Of course, we’re disappointed. Some of that is about having more people per boat, which is also more dangerous and more reckless.
‘But what we’ve got to do – we’ve been in government for eight months – these people smuggling gangs have been allowed to establish themselves across the Channel and be very sophisticated with their global networks for six years.’
