British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s recent meeting with far-right Italian premier Giorgia Meloni in Rome to discuss irregular immigration has stirred controversy within Labour Party members. Despite promising to fight illegal immigration, Starmer’s decision to seek advice from Meloni, who heads the anti-immigration Brothers of Italy party, has been branded as “disturbing” by Labour MP Kim Johnson.
The meeting comes at a time when the UK is grappling with far-right riots and a surge in undocumented migrant crossings across the English Channel. In response to the crisis, Starmer has not ruled out offshore arrangements for processing asylum claims, akin to Italy’s agreements with Albania and Tunisia.
While touring Italy’s immigration coordination center, Starmer commended the country’s efforts to curb arrivals, attributing the decrease to prevention measures in migrants’ countries of origin. He emphasized the importance of stopping people from traveling in the first place as an effective strategy.
Italy’s agreements with Albania and Tunisia, as well as its collaboration with the Libyan coastguard, have resulted in a significant decrease in sea arrivals compared to previous years. However, human rights groups have raised concerns about refugees being sent back to Libya to face abuse and arbitrary detention.
Starmer’s visit to Italy and his discussions with Meloni have drawn attention to the complex issue of irregular migration and the various approaches taken by different governments. As the UK and Italy work to address this challenge, the focus remains on ensuring the safety and well-being of migrants while tackling criminal networks that exploit their desperation.
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