Sir Keir Starmer is gearing up to label people smuggling as a ‘national security’ concern – following the illegal crossing of over 15,000 migrants across the Channel during his tenure.
The Prime Minister is set to unveil plans for a specialized investigation unit with counter-terror powers to combat people smugglers in a speech at Interpol’s general assembly next week.
However, questions have been raised about the government’s handling of the small boats issue, including scrapping the Rwanda deportation scheme and processing a backlog of asylum applications.
Since the start of the year, more than 15,000 people have arrived under the PM’s leadership, according to Home Office data.
Sir Keir emphasized the need to dismantle criminal gangs profiting from human suffering and secure borders during upcoming talks with European leaders in Hungary.
The total number of Channel crossings this year has reached 30,906, with over 5,000 in October alone – marking the deadliest year in the crisis since 2018. Despite the surge, Chancellor Rachel Reeves expects ‘significant savings’ on asylum costs and has cut the Home Office budget.
The government is ramping up efforts to tackle the issue at its source and engage with European leaders to combat people smuggling, with a Number 10 source stressing the urgency of stopping these criminal networks.