Labour: Starmer plans to rip up Rwanda scheme as more Tory MPs ‘ponder defecting’ to Labour – live

Labour’s immigration policy would “align with global rules that protect individual human rights,” Sir Keir Starmer said.

He added: “Our rules-based system should align with global rules that protect individual human rights.

“That is in our interests and the right thing to do.”

Ex-Tory MP Natalie Elphicke has said Rishi Sunak “failed to keep our borders secure and cannot be trusted” only two days after leaving the Conservative Party.

In a savage attack on her former boss, the Dover MP said: “Nowhere is Rishi Sunak’s lack of delivery clearer than on small boats.

“We are failing to keep our borders safe and secure, lives are being lost in the English Channel while small boat arrivals are once again at record levels.

“It is clear that Rishi Sunak has failed to keep our borders secure and cannot be trusted.”

Introducing Sir Keir Starmer ahead of a speech on border security, Ms Elphicke said “a fresh approach is needed” under the Labour Party.

She said Sir Keir would build a Britain of “hope, optimism, opportunity and fairness” that “everyone can be part of”.

Provisional figures from the Home Office revealed 211 people were detected crossing the Channel on Thursday.

Figures show cumulative number of arrivals by small boats in 2024 now stands at a provisional total of 9,037.

This is 35% higher than the total at this point last year, which was 6,691, and 16% higher than the total at this stage in 2022, which was 7,801.

Three boats were detected on Thursday, which suggests an average of around 70 people per boat.

There were 29,437 arrivals across the whole of 2023, down 36% on a record 45,774 arrivals in 2022.

Let’s take a look at the numbers:

• The government initially committed £290 million to the troubled scheme.

• According to the National Audit Office (NAO), there will be millions more in spending, including £11,000 for each migrant’s plane ticket.

• While Rwanda will get £20,000 for each asylum seeker relocated there and a £120 million top-up once 300 have arrived.

In a statement, Mr Cleverly says: “Labour have no plan to stop the boats.

“Labour have an illegal immigration amnesty, Labour blocked of the deportation of violent sexual offenders and Labour voted over 130 times against tougher legislation to stop the boats.

“They will create a haven for criminal gangs, not stop them. Even Labour MPs are saying Labour can’t be trusted to stop the boats which shows you nothing will change.

“If people can apply for asylum from outside the UK then unlimited claims can be made, many of which will have to be accepted under the law and even then, many of those declined will then get on a small boat anyway.

“Labour’s announcement would make the UK the asylum capital of the world.”

Sir Keir Starmer has hit hard on the Conservative’s Rwanda scheme dubbing it “an insult to intelligence”.

But just minutes after his speech, where he set out his small boat crossings plan, the Tories have clapped back.

Home Secretary James Cleverly says Labour’s system “would make the UK the asylum capital of the world.”

Labour will use new counter-terrorism powers to tackle people-smuggling gangs bringing migrants across the Channel, Sir Keir announced.

Sir Keir Starmer said the Rwanda policy is not a deterrent to illegal immigration.

But processing claims and sending people back to their countries of origin is.

He said: “Stopping the gangs getting people in boats is the most effective deterrent because you can’t actually make the crossing to get here.

“The biggest deterrent is that it’s a pointless exercise and you go back where you started.”

Sir Keir said he would get rid of the Rwanda policy immediately and that some aspects of scrapping it require legislation and some do not.

There will be a “fast timetable to get this off the ground,” he said.

During his speech in Dover, Sir Keir Starmer was asked whether he was concerned about the backlash from within the Labour Party.

He responded: “This is a very important and significant crossing of floor for reasons Natalie set out.

“I think anyone reading the words she set out this morning would be persuaded this is a very significant thing, you’ve got a Tory party that is losing votes, losing MPs, losing councillors, losing mayors across the country.

“It’s a Conservative Party that is on its last legs, it’s out of road, out of ideas, and that is why I genuinely think the mood of the country and Natalie has picked up on this, is for change and a general election.

No one can understand why Rishi Sunak is “clinging on by his fingernails” to power, he said.