It’s small boats week in government. Following last Wednesday’s Budget, No. 10 is turning its attention to the ceaseless flow of Channel crossings. Keir Starmer will use his speech at the Interpol General Assembly in Glasgow today to set out Labour’s plans to – you’ve guessed it – ‘smash’ the criminal gangs. Starmer’s remarks are certainly timely. More than 5,000 people crossed the Channel in October, making it the busiest month of the year so far. In total, 31,094 people have crossed so far this year, up 16.5 per cent on the same point in 2023 but still down 22.1 per cent on the same point in 2022.
Starmer is expected to announce that Border Security Command will get £75 million on top of an equal sum announced in September, over the next two years. It is expected to help pay for advanced maritime drones and undercover recording devices. An intelligence source unit will pay for British officers to be deployed in high-emigration nations such as Vietnam and Iraq. As well as equipment, the additional funds will pay for more staff, with 300 personnel in the Border Security Command and 100 specialist investigators. There are new powers too, with the Crown Prosecution Service able to deliver charging decisions more quickly on international organised crime cases.
The problem is that many of these measures announced today are exactly what the Conservatives were doing
The Prime Minister will tell representatives of Interpol's 196 nations that 'the world needs to wake up to this challenge' and that 'there's nothing progressive about turning a blind eye as men, women and children die.' He will declare that 'I was elected to deliver security for the British people – and strong borders are a part of that.' The accompanying No. 10 press release declares the border crossings a 'national security' issue. It's a similar phrase to the language used by Nigel Farage, who wants a 'national security emergency' officially declared to stem the crisis.
Keir Starmer believes that migration is a law and order issue that can be solved with greater global co-operation. The PM wants to use every international forum available to champion cross-border collaboration and point the finger of blame solely at the criminal gangs. Morgan McSweeney, the No. 10 chief of staff, told Labour MPs last month to talk more about migration – or else risk losing their seats in 2029. With Reform making in-roads in longtime Labour heartlands, ministers hope today's speech shows Starmer takes voters concerns seriously.
The problem is that many of these measures announced today are exactly what the Conservatives were doing in government less than six months ago. More powers, further funds and talks with Italian leader Giorgia Meloni were exactly what Rishi Sunak was doing in No. 10 – plus they had the Rwanda scheme to work as a deterrent. Labour, of course, scrapped the scheme on day one in office, brandishing it a mere 'gimmick'. That word 'gimmick' is now being hurled back at ministers by Tories who feel as though Labour have learned little from the last four years. As an official party spokesman put it: 'Keir Starmer’s announcement on tackling gangs will mean absolutely nothing without a deterrent to stop migrants.'
Many within Labour approve of Starmer's refusal to blame the migrants themselves for making the hazardous journey to Britain. Privately, they feel much more comfortable bashing the criminal gangs and posing as the party of law and order. But this ignores the thorny question of incentives for migrants: cash, an expedited right to work, hotels and leniency against deportation. For all the promises of meetings and task forces, the danger is that until the incentives of Britain's asylum laws are addressed, the boats will keep coming – regardless of the risks.
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