Sir Keir Starmer has vowed to scrap the government's Rwanda asylum scheme immediately if Labour wins the general election. The Labour leader announced plans to redirect the £75 million saved in the first year towards hiring hundreds of specialist investigators to tackle small boat crossings in the English Channel.
Speaking in Dover alongside newly defected Labour MP Natalie Elphicke, Starmer outlined a new Border Security Command that would work with Border Force, MI5, and the National Crime Agency to prosecute people-smuggling gangs. The unit would be led by a former police, military or intelligence chief reporting directly to the home secretary.
Starmer also proposed using counter-terrorism powers under the Terrorism Act to search suspected smugglers, monitor their finances, and restrict their internet access, banking and travel. These measures would require new legislation, which he pledged to pass “very quickly”.
Labour aims to negotiate access to the EU's Eurodac fingerprint database for asylum seekers. However, the party has not specified whether this would involve implementing EU legislation. The Conservatives have labelled Labour's plans an “amnesty for illegal immigrants”, a claim Starmer denies, instead accusing the Tories of a “Travelodge amnesty” by housing asylum seekers in hotels without processing claims.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak defended the Rwanda scheme, stating “we've got a plan, and we're going to get our planes off”. The scheme, first announced in 2022, has faced legal delays and is now due to begin in July. The National Audit Office estimates payments to Rwanda will cost £370 million over five years, plus additional sums per person relocated.
