Sir Keir Starmer’s plan to stop the boats has been dealt a major blow after French President Emmanuel Macron conceded there is “no silver bullet” to halt the Channel crossing crisis.
The Prime Minister, who scrapped Rishi Sunak’s Rwanda plan after winning the 2024 General Election, faced criticism from MPs over his own proposed move.
Starmer is hoping to “reset” continental relations to help curb Channel crossings, with more than 1,000 arriving on British shores since July 4.
GB News has spoken to a number of MPs who have expressed concerns about Starmer’s proposal.
A Tory MP said: “There is no silver bullet – but Labour have been found wanting with no plan to tackle the boats, having put what was available in the bin already.”
Former International Development Minister Desmond Swayne added: “There is indeed no silver bullet.
“Rwanda wasn’t one either. Nevertheless, it was an essential part of the jigsaw. That piece is now missing.
“Unless there is a credible threat of removal, the boats will just keep coming.”
Reform UK MP Lee Anderson, who was re-elected as the MP for Ashfield after defecting from the Tory Party earlier this year, also told GB News: “It might have improved for France as they have systematically allowed over 130,000 migrants to break into our country.
“Macron cannot protect his own borders so there’s no chance he will help secure ours. Reform would turn the boats back. That’s the only deterrent that would work.”
However, a Labour Party insider expressed other hesitations about Starmer’s plan to curb Channel crossings.
“The proof will be in the pudding,” the source said. “There’s a lot of work to do to convince people.”
Starmer, who confirmed Labour will not take the UK out of the European Convention of Human Right, used today’s meeting at Blenheim Palace to court continental support for wider action on the migrant crisis.
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Irregular migrants during an operation carried out by the Tunisian National Guard against African irregular migrants who want to reach Europe illegally via the Mediterranean Sea
REUTERS
The Prime Minister said: “We cannot let the challenges of the recent past define our relationships of the future.
“That is why European security will be at the forefront of this Government’s foreign and defence priorities, and why I am focused on seizing this moment to renew our relationship with Europe.
“The EPC will fire the starting gun on this Government’s new approach to Europe, one that will not just benefit us now, but for generations to come, from dismantling the people-smuggling webs trafficking people across Europe, to standing up to Putin’s barbaric actions in Ukraine and destabilising activity across Europe. ”
He added: “We will only be able to secure our borders, drive economic growth and defend our democracies if we work together.”
Macron, who was receiving hundreds of millions of pounds from the UK to police the French coast, conceded any Anglo-French discussion will face a difficult challenge.
The French President said: “This is my point. There is no silver bullet because we do know the situation.
“We do our best. We did improve the situation during the past few years.”
The Tories also used much of the election campaign to warn Labour’s plan to negotiate arrangements with the EU would see the UK open its doors to 100,000 illegal immigrants from the continent.
The number of migrants arriving on British shores since 2018 hit 129,104 earlier this week, with GB News exclusively revealing today that the number of asylum seekers embarking on the 21-mile journey so far this year has now surpassed 15,000.
A record-breaking 45,774 completed the crossing in 2022 and a further 29,437 made the journey last year.
However, Europe is battling with a similarly overwhelming border crisis, with more than 150,000 crossing the Mediterranean in precarious boats in 2023.
Emmanuel Macron and Keir Starmer
PA
Despite being voted down by both Poland and Hungary, the EU responded to the crisis by creating a controversial cross-bloc accord to relocate asylum seekers throughout the European Union.
The Tory Party, which saw large swathes of voters switch to Reform over immigration, pledged to deport Channel crossing migrants to Rwanda to process asylum claims before staying put in the African country if accepted.
However, the plan faced a number of legal and parliamentary obstacles as Sunak was only able to send two migrants to Rwanda before leaving Downing Street.
Sunak’s Government paid Rwanda £240million by the end of 2023, with the cost expected to spiral to at least £370million over five-years.
Labour’s plan, which was unveiled in yesterday’s King’s Speech, is focused on the so-called Border Security Command.
The new unit will cost £75million from funds diverted from the Rwanda scheme.
Speaking during his second King’s Speech, Charles said: “My Government will seek to strengthen the border and make streets safer.
“A Bill will be introduced to modernise the asylum and immigration system, establishing a new Border Security Command and delivering enhanced counter terror powers to tackle organised immigration crime.”
Labour also claimed the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill will give the unit the “tools and powers” to crackdown on criminal gangs, provide a strong deterrent and fix the broke asylum system.
However, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is expected to put forward new legislation next week to process asylum claims for up to 90,000 illegal immigrants.
The plan will likely spark a backlash from MPs, with Tories poised to accuse Labour of granting amnesty.
Source Agencies
