Keir Starmer says numbers of small boat crossings may increase before they come down as influx won’t change ‘overnight’
SIR Keir Starmer has suggested small boat crossings may increase before they come down.
The PM said the influx of migrants cannot be changed “overnight”.
He said: “The previous Government’s Rwanda policy was a gimmick.
“Record numbers are coming over.
“We can’t change that overnight.”
Sir Keir, when pushed on whether it was his ambition to stop the boats, said: “Nobody but nobody should be making these crossings.
“The numbers are going up, not down.
“That is why we want to smash the gangs to stop those crossings.
“What I’m not going to do is pick an arbitrary date, an arbitrary number because that hasn’t worked in the past.
“But I do want to be clear that my intention is to break down the gangs that are running this vile trade putting people into boats on the coast of France.
“Nobody but nobody should be making that crossing.”
His comments came as 419 arrived on Tuesday, taking the total so far this year above 14,000.
Shadow Home Secretary James Cleverly said: “The illegal migrants who we knew were waiting for a Labour Government have got their wish.”
Labour minister Lord Patrick Vallance yesterday suggested relaxing migration rules for EU citizens.
He told the BBC the UK needed a “more benign” visa regime.