Official statements from Balkan governments or international news agencies

Starmer Unveils £75m Border Security Plan with EU and Balkans to Combat Smugglers

Nov 7, 2024, 03:31 AM

Labour leader Keir Starmer has announced plans to tackle people smuggling gangs operating across Europe by renegotiating pre-Brexit intelligence-sharing agreements with the European Union and signing new deals with Balkan states. During a meeting with European leaders in Budapest, Starmer outlined a £75 million funding package to establish a new Border Security Command (BSC), equipped with state-of-the-art surveillance equipment such as drones, to enhance the UK's ability to intercept criminal smuggling gangs. The strategy aims to dismantle the criminal networks profiting from human trafficking and to reduce irregular migration, particularly small boat crossings across the Channel. Critics, including border control expert Henry Bolton OBE and former Brexit Party MEP Ben Habib, argue that renegotiating agreements with the EU will have little effect on illegal crossings and could compromise Brexit gains. Jacob Rees-Mogg has also warned that Starmer's plan could be a step towards re-entering the EU 'via the back door'. However, Starmer maintains that working alongside international partners is essential to combat the global threat posed by organised immigration crime.