British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s meeting with Italian far-right premier Giorgia Meloni in Rome to discuss irregular immigration has been branded ‘disturbing’ by critics. Starmer’s visit with the anti-immigration leader has faced backlash from members of his Labour Party, with MP Kim Johnson criticizing the move. The meeting comes at a time when the UK is grappling with far-right riots targeting mosques and migrant centers.
The issue of undocumented migrants and asylum seekers making perilous crossings across the English Channel remains a pressing concern for political parties in Britain. While more than 22,000 people have arrived in the UK via small boats this year, the dangers of the journey have resulted in several deaths, including a recent incident where a boat carrying 60 people ran aground.
Despite rejecting the previous government’s plan to fly asylum seekers to Rwanda, Starmer has not ruled out offshore processing options. Italy’s agreements with Albania and Tunisia to house migrants while processing asylum claims, as well as its deal with Libya to prevent departures, have drawn criticism from human rights groups for pushing refugees back to dangerous situations.
During the visit to an immigration coordination center, Starmer commended the work being done to prevent people from making the journey to Italy in the first place. The decrease in refugee arrivals to Italy this year compared to 2023 has been attributed to efforts in countries of origin to dissuade migration. Starmer’s focus on prevention as a key aspect of addressing the immigration issue has sparked further debate on the efficacy of such measures.
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