Sir Keir Starmer said new and stronger powers are needed to bring illegal migration smugglers to justice.
Speaking in Dover, the Labour leader started his speech by saying it’s “great” to have local MP Natalie Elphicke in the party.
The former Conservative and constituency MP, introduced Sir Keir Starmer ahead of his speech.
She accused Rishi Sunak of failing on small boats when she left the Tory party on Wednesday, just ahead of PMQs.
‘Today we are here on serious business’
Sir Keir’s said Labour are setting up a ‘new approach’ to people smugglers.
He announced they want to establish a boarder security command if they win the election.
It will be based on a counter-terrorism approach, with “hundreds of specialist investigators”.
‘No better than terrorists’
Sir Keir Starmer addressed people smugglers directly, saying:
“We will find you. We will stop you. We will protect your victims”.
He’s called for a new partnership with Europol.
He added that new powers are needed, similar to ones used against terrorists.
Full support from refugee charity
The director of refugee charity Sanctuary Foundation has said he fully supports Sir Keir Starmer’s proposals.
Dr Krish Kandiah says he thinks the Government’s Rwanda policy punishes the wrong people, and that the Labour Party’s plan “is a really good start”.
Dr Kandiah also thinks we need “a clear refugee resettlement strategy”.
I have long believed that the #RwandaBill punishes the wrong people by deporting vulnerable people to another country without even hearing their asylum claim.
This emphasis from the @Keir_Starmer to scrap the #Rwanda policy and use some of the money to chase down the criminal… pic.twitter.com/UVq8UQTlW4
— Dr Krish Kandiah OBE (@krishk) May 10, 2024
This is a developing story, we will bring you more details as they come. Please refresh the page to update.
Follow CityNewsBreak on to receive breaking news alerts.
