May 9th 2024.
As the Labour Party gears up for the local elections in Dudley, Sir Keir Starmer will be making his way to Dover today to deliver a significant speech addressing the small boats crisis. In his speech, he will call out Rishi Sunak for offering an unlawful "Travelodge amnesty" to illegal migrants.
The timing of Starmer's speech is noteworthy, as it comes just days after the defection of the Conservative MP for Dover, Natalie Elphicke, to the Labour Party. This defection will only add to the momentum of Starmer's scathing attack on the government's ineffective "gimmick" deportation scheme to Rwanda.
In place of this failed scheme, Starmer will unveil Labour's proposal for a new £75m Border Security Command, which will be staffed by up to 1,000 specialist investigators. Their goal will be to make UK shores a hostile territory for smuggling gangs, replacing the current situation where they are able to operate with relative ease.
Starmer will accuse Sunak of being "grossly incompetent" and point out the flaws in the Rwanda scheme, which has not only failed to deter smugglers but has also created a backlog of nearly 100,000 individuals in the asylum system. These individuals are being housed in taxpayer-funded hotels, waiting for a decision on their case.
"It's an insult to anyone's intelligence," Starmer will assert, "and the gangs behind this heinous trade are not easily fooled." He will also highlight the fact that the influx of migrants into the country through this route has essentially created a "Travelodge amnesty", which may be more comfortable for these individuals but is certainly not a solution.
To tackle this issue, Labour plans to "replace gimmicks with graft" by scrapping the Rwanda scheme and appointing a former police, military, or intelligence chief as the head of the new Border Security Command. This individual will report directly to the Home Secretary and work with international agencies to implement tougher measures.
The party's proposal also involves bringing together various agencies, such as the National Crime Agency, Immigration Enforcement, the Crown Prosecution Service, and MI5, to collaborate on border security. This will be funded using existing resources and the £75m initially allocated for the Rwanda scheme.
Starmer will also put forth the idea of serious crime prevention orders, which would allow authorities to shut down people smugglers' internet access and bank accounts with High Court approval before making any arrests. This will also aid in tracking the movements of these criminal organizations.
In his speech, Starmer will emphasize the gravity of the situation, stating, "I know we use the term 'small boats', but these vessels are far from small. The dinghies used by these gangs are on a much larger scale than what you would see for recreational purposes." He will call for collaboration with European partners to seize these boats and gather evidence to prosecute smugglers.
In conclusion, Starmer's message to these criminals is clear: "These shores will become hostile territory for you." With the number of migrants crossing the Channel increasing by 32% compared to last year, it is imperative that effective measures are put in place to address this crisis. Labour's proposal aims to do just that, by replacing ineffective gimmicks with practical solutions.
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