The home secretary is set to convene with ministers and law enforcement officials for an operational summit aimed at outlining the government’s strategy to address the issue of small boats in the Channel.
Yvette Cooper, along with Foreign Secretary David Lammy, Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood, Attorney General Lord Hermer, and representatives from the National Crime Agency (NCA), Border Force, and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), will gather at the NCA headquarters in London.
“Disrupting the gangs” was one of Sir Keir Starmer’s prominent commitments to counter small boat crossings in the Channel, especially following his party’s vow to abolish the Conservatives’ Rwanda policy, which intended to send those entering the UK unlawfully to the African country.
Latest in Politics: Tony Blair ‘still engaged’ in Middle Eastern affairs
Shortly after taking office, Labour declared its decision to reallocate tens of millions of pounds from the Rwanda initiative to establish a new Border Security Command (BSC) in an effort to curb illegal migration.
For a more accessible video player, please use Google Chrome.
Migrant survivor shares experience with Sky News
The party is also advancing with the former government’s strategy to reopen two immigration centers in an effort to prevent small boat crossings.
This summit on Friday follows a tragic week marked by the deaths of at least 12 individuals in the Channel, which included 10 women and girls.
A portion of the government’s approach will involve examining how smuggling operations function and seeking to enhance collaboration with Europol, the European Union’s law enforcement agency.
Ms. Cooper stated: “Exploiting at-risk individuals is fundamental to the operations of these reprehensible smuggling organizations. Vulnerable women and children were crammed into an unsafe vessel that tragically capsized this week. This heinous trade has resulted in the loss of at least 12 lives. We will persist in our efforts until these networks are dismantled and their perpetrators brought to justice.”
Further reading:
Downing Street rebuffs French minister’s assertion that illegal migrants are ‘rarely expelled’ from the UK
Migrants attempt Channel crossing just 24 hours after 12 fatalities
“The past two months have indicated positive movement, with notable seizures of boats and equipment across Europe. Yet, challenges remain, and the Border Security Command will unify all relevant entities to investigate, apprehend, and prosecute these networks while strengthening our partnerships with essential international allies.
“Concurrently, we are swiftly deporting individuals with no legitimate claim to remain in the UK. This will contribute to a fair, robust, and operational asylum system where regulations are upheld and enforced.”
