SIR Keir Starmer today vowed to scrap the government’s Rwanda deportation scheme – even if it proves effective at stopping the boats.
On the first day of Labour Party Conference in Liverpool, the opposition chief slated the popular policy as “hugely expensive” and “wrong”.
PALabour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer today vowed to scrap the Rwanda deportation scheme – even if it proves effective in deterring small boat crossings[/caption]
And he insisted it would only ever impact a small number of illegal migrants.
Pressed on whether he would stick with the plan if it was green lighted by UK courts and proved categorically successful at deterring illegal migration, Sir Keir STILL said no.
He told the BBC: “I think it’s the wrong policy, it’s hugely expensive.
“It’s a tiny number of individuals who would go to Rwanda and the real problem is at source.
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“You’re putting this to me on the basis that it’s working, we’ve been told by the Government time and again that even saying they’ve got a Rwanda scheme will reduce the numbers – that hasn’t happened.”
The Labour leader pledged to instead stop the boats by begging Brussels bureaucrats to collaborate on “smashing the criminal gangs who are running this vile trade”.
He said: “As a pragmatist I want a pragmatic plan that is actually going to fix this problem, not rhetoric which has got this Government absolutely nowhere.”
Rishi Sunak has warned Sir Keir’s plan to stop the boats will open the floodgates to 100,000 EU asylum seekers.
Writing in The Sun last month, the Labour leader said he’d order British spooks from GCHQ to work with Europol to monitor gang plans.
The new “Security Agreement with Europe” is the opposition chief’s first major intervention on the illegal migration storm blighting Britain’s coast and hotels.
Senior Tory MPs this morning slammed Sir Keir for refusing to even consider keeping Rwanda if the plan works.
Conservative Party Chairman Greg Hands said: “Labour and Sir Keir confirm that they will reverse the Government’s Rwanda policy, even if it’s working!
“Only the Conservatives are serious about tackling illegal immigration.
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“Three times Sir Keir Starmer failed to say that he wouldn’t reverse Rwanda policy, but failed to give another option.
“Labour aren’t serious on the boats and making the tough choices the country needs.”
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