Starmer looks to Italy on how to stop migrant boats

Sir Keir Starmer has suggested helium volition survey Italy's asylum processing woody with Albania arsenic portion of a "pragmatic" attack to tackling migrant boats crossing the English Channel.

Speaking to reporters, the premier curate said helium had discussed the "concept" of Italy's woody during talks successful Rome with Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni.

Meloni said Sir Keir had shown "great interest" successful the planned scheme, nether which immoderate migrants rescued successful Italian waters volition beryllium sent to the Balkan state to person their asylum claims processed.

Sir Keir besides said helium was funny successful Italy's exemplary of paying northbound African countries to bash much to halt vessel crossings.

He added that deals with Tunisia and Libya “appears to person had rather a profound effect” successful helping Italy chopped the fig of migrant arrivals.

The Labour authorities has scrapped a Conservative program to nonstop asylum seekers connected a one-way summons to Rwanda, wherever they would lone beryllium capable to use for exile presumption successful the eastbound African nation.

But it has indicated an involvement successful schemes nether which migrants crossing the English Channel could person their applications to enactment successful the UK processed abroad.

Italy's right-wing government, led by Meloni since October 2022, is not a earthy governmental state for Labour person Sir Keir, but helium has expressed an involvement successful learning from its tactics to antagonistic amerciable migration.

Under its five-year woody with Albania, agreed past year, immoderate migrants rescued by the Italian coastguard volition beryllium sent determination to person their asylum claims processed successful 2 centres funded and managed by Italy.

In a cardinal quality with the Rwanda plan, those that win volition travel to Italy arsenic refugees. Those whose applications are rejected volition beryllium detained successful Albania until they tin beryllium returned to their location countries.

Only migrants from countries deemed harmless by Italy - whose claims are much apt to beryllium rejected - volition beryllium sent, whilst large women, minors and different categories of susceptible radical volition beryllium excluded.

The scheme, which the Italian authorities says volition outgo €670m (£564m), was meant to commencement successful August but has been delayed, with Meloni saying it volition beryllium "few weeks” earlier it gets going.

It has been criticised by immoderate close groups, who person questioned however failed asylum claims could beryllium decently appealed and argued it could permission radical successful ineligible limbo.

En way to Rome, Sir Keir said helium was “interested” successful learning astir the strategy and aboriginal confirmed helium had discussed it during his gathering with Meloni.

The premier curate besides discussed the exemplary with Albanian counterpart Edi Rama during a acme of European leaders successful July, erstwhile helium said helium wanted to "look astatine what works".

Speaking astatine a property conference, Sir Keir said the interaction of Italy's Albania woody was not yet wide due to the fact that the strategy had yet to statesman operating, but helium had discussed "the conception of it" with Meloni.

It is not clear, however, however apt it is specified a woody could beryllium replicated.

Albania, which is seeking to bolster its longstanding exertion to articulation the EU, has suggested that specified a woody is lone with Italy, its closest state successful Europe.

Sir Keir besides underlined helium was besides funny successful Italy's agreements with northbound African countries, which person emerged arsenic important hubs for migrants attempting to marque the travel to Europe.

Alongside the EU, Italy has granted Tunisia fiscal assistance for acquisition and vigor projects successful instrumentality for greater efforts to halt migrants crossing the Mediterranean.

It has an statement with the UN-backed Libyan government, nether which Italy trains and funds the coastguard to intercept migrant boats.

Both of those deals person proved controversial, attracting disapproval from rights groups for the attraction of those stopped from crossing.

Sir Keir told reporters this enactment to halt arrivals "upstream" was a "more likely” origin than the Albania woody successful explaining a 64% driblet this twelvemonth successful the fig of radical crossing to Italy from Africa.

"Preventing radical leaving their state successful the archetypal spot is acold amended than trying to woody with those that person arrived successful immoderate of our countries, truthful I was precise funny successful that," helium added.

"In a sense, contiguous was a instrumentality - if you similar - to British pragmatism.

"We are pragmatists archetypal and foremost. When we spot a situation we sermon with our friends and allies the antithetic approaches that are being taken [and] look astatine what works."

However, immoderate Labour backbenchers person criticised their person for seeking inspiration from Meloni's government.

Liverpool Riverside MP Kim Johnson called it "disturbing," whilst Nottingham East's Nadia Whittome said the UK should not beryllium "taking lessons" from Italy.