Official statements from UK and Italian governments or media reports

Starmer Pledges £75 Million to Double Border Security Funding, Vows to Smash People-Smuggling Gangs

Nov 4, 2024, 07:49 AM

UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is set to announce an extra £75 million in funding to tackle people-smuggling gangs and curb illegal Channel crossings. Declaring people smuggling a national security issue, the government aims to adopt counter-terrorism-style tactics to dismantle smuggling networks. The funding will double the budget of the Border Security Command, enhancing its capacity to combat organised immigration crime. The initiative includes the creation of a new Organised Immigration Crime Intelligence Unit and plans to fast-track the prosecution of people smugglers. Starmer, a former Director of Public Prosecutions, emphasized that "the world needs to wake up to the severity of this challenge," calling the trade "vile" and asserting it must be stamped out. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper noted that the best way to boost border security is to work with other countries, highlighting the government's commitment to rebuilding global alliances. Plans also include holding talks with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to address the crisis collaboratively. With over 32,000 people having crossed the Channel illegally so far this year, the government underscores the urgency of strengthening the UK's border security as part of Starmer's "personal mission" to secure the nation's borders.