British Prime Minister Keir Starmer visited Rome on Monday. The meeting with Italian Prime Minister <a href="https://www.archyde.com/a-female-president-of-italy-the-parliamentary-system-has-historically-been-sexist/" title="A female president of Italy? | The parliamentary system has historically been sexist”>Giorgia Meloni was part of the new head of the British government’s efforts to reset Britain’s relations with Europe, as part of which he has already visited Berlin, Paris and Dublin. However, the main reason why the British left-wing politician was so eager to meet his far-right Italian counterpart was to study Italy’s successful experience in combating illegal migration.
Since winning the election in July, the new British prime minister has made rebuilding close ties with Europe, marred by the UK’s exit from the EU, a central focus of his foreign policy. And he has recently built bridges with the leaders of Germany, France and Ireland. On Monday, Keir Starmer traveled to Italy.
The interest of the head of the British government in this country was very specific. “I am here to discuss with the Prime Minister (George Maloney.— “uh”), how can we combat illegal migration? There has been a fairly significant reduction (in migrant flows.— “uh”). So I want to understand how this happened,” said Keir Starmer, visiting the Italian National Coordination Centre for Combating Illegal Migration this morning.
Giorgia Meloni, who leads the far-right Brothers of Italy party, came to power on a wave of promises to curb the flow of illegal migrants. And in two years, she has been quite successful: the number of illegal immigrants in January-August 2024 fell by about 60% compared to the same period last year.
True, many of the Italian government’s measures have proven highly controversial. For example, Meloni’s government has restricted the activities of NGOs like Doctors Without Borders, which rescue migrants in the Mediterranean; since she came to power, their rescue ships have been confiscated by authorities 23 times for periods of several weeks or months. At the same time, Rome has increased financial support for Tunisia and Libya to combat smugglers in North Africa. And a year ago, Ms. Meloni struck a deal with Albania, under which Tirana agreed to build two centers with Italian money to receive up to 36,000 migrants caught by the Italian coast guard in the Mediterranean while Rome considers their asylum applications.
Many saw Rome’s Albanian plan as a clear borrowing of the previous Conservative British government’s idea of sending all asylum seekers in Britain to Rwanda. However, while Italy promised to take in without delay anyone whose asylum claim was found to be justified, sending only illegals to the Albanians, the British would have required even law-abiding asylum seekers to remain in Rwanda until their case was decided.
On coming to power, Keir Starmer quickly abandoned the previous government’s plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda, deeming it ineffective and unnecessarily expensive. But he expressed interest in reaching agreements similar to the one Rome had struck with Tirana.
“It’s just getting started, I’m interested in how it works, and I think everyone else is interested too,” the British prime minister recently said of his right-wing Italian colleague’s initiative to outsource illegal immigrants, adding that Giorgi Meloni “of course has some strong ideas.”
The uncharacteristic interest in methods of stopping illegal migration for a Labour government is due to urgent need. This year, more than 22,000 illegal immigrants (more than the year before) have already undertaken dangerous journeys across the English Channel from France in an attempt to settle in the UK. At the same time, as in many places in Europe, the influx of illegal immigrants was often accompanied by high-profile crimes. One can recall, for example, the murder of three girls in the city of Southport in August by a man from a family of Rwandan immigrants, which provoked mass anti-immigrant riots in dozens of British cities (see Kommersant of August 5).
Ahead of his trip to Rome, Mr Starmer promised to tighten border measures and “crush the gangs” involved in illegally bringing people into the UK and to usher in a “new era” of cross-border cooperation to combat smugglers. He also set up a new Border Security Command, appointing as its head a police chief with 30 years’ experience in national security and serious crime, Martin Hewitt (who, incidentally, accompanied the Prime Minister on his trip to Rome). Now, in order to combat illegal immigrants even more successfully, London has decided to take on the experience of Italy.
It was not clear at the end of the two leaders’ joint press conference exactly how Rome could help London on this difficult path. However, both politicians expressed their determination to cooperate.
“No country on its own can effectively dismantle human trafficking networks,” Prime Minister Meloni noted. Apparently, the British politician was also pleased with the trip. “When we see a problem, we talk to our friends and allies about the different approaches that are being taken, we see what works, and that is the approach we have taken today. And it has been a very productive day,” Keir Starmer assured journalists at the end of the press conference.
– What inspired Keir Starmer to study Italy’s strategies for managing illegal migration?
Table of Contents
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer Seeks Inspiration from Italy’s Successful Crackdown on Illegal Migration
In a significant move to rebuild bridges with Europe, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer visited Rome on Monday to meet with his Italian counterpart, Giorgia Meloni. The meeting marked another step in Starmer’s efforts to reset Britain’s relations with Europe, following visits to Berlin, Paris, and Dublin. However, the primary reason behind Starmer’s eagerness to meet Meloni was to study Italy’s successful experience in combating illegal migration.
Rebuilding Ties with Europe
Since assuming office in July, Starmer has made rebuilding close ties with Europe a central focus of his foreign policy. The UK’s exit from the EU had marred relations with the continent, but Starmer has been working to reverse this trend. His recent meetings with German, French, and Irish leaders have been part of this effort.
Combating Illegal Migration
The British Prime Minister’s interest in Italy was specific and driven by the country’s success in reducing illegal migrant flows. Meloni, who leads the far-right Brothers of Italy party, came to power on a wave of promises to curb illegal migration. In two years, she has been successful, with a 60% drop in illegal immigrants in January-August 2024 compared to the same period last year.
Italy’s Controversial Measures
Italy’s measures to combat illegal migration have been controversial. The government has restricted the activities of NGOs like Doctors Without Borders, which rescue migrants in the Mediterranean, and has increased financial support for Tunisia and Libya to combat smugglers in North Africa. Rome has also struck a deal with Albania to build centers to receive up to 36,000 migrants caught by the Italian coast guard in the Mediterranean while their asylum applications are processed.
Learning from Italy’s Experience
Starmer expressed interest in reaching agreements similar to Rome’s deal with Tirana. Although he abandoned the previous government’s plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda, deeming it ineffective and expensive, he is keen to explore alternative solutions. The British Prime Minister’s willingness to study Italy’s experience is driven by the urgent need to address the issue of illegal migration.
The UK’s Illegal Migration Crisis
This year, more than 22,000 illegal immigrants have undertaken dangerous journeys across the English Channel from France in an attempt to settle in the UK. The influx of illegal immigrants has often been accompanied by high-profile crimes, such as the murder of three girls in Southport by a man from a family of Rwandan immigrants, which provoked mass anti-immigrant riots in dozens of British cities.
Strengthening Border Measures
Ahead of his trip to Rome, Starmer promised to tighten border measures, “crush the gangs” involved in illegally bringing people into the UK, and usher in a “new era” of cross-border cooperation to combat smugglers. He also set up a new Border Security Command, appointing a police chief with 30 years’ experience in national security and serious crime as its head.
The Way Forward
While it was unclear exactly how Rome could help London on the difficult path of combating illegal migration, Starmer’s visit marks a significant step towards addressing this critical issue. By learning from Italy’s experience and exploring alternative solutions, the UK may yet find a way to effectively tackle the problem of illegal migration and rebuild trust with its European partners.
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– What did Keir Starmer discuss during his visit to Rome regarding illegal migration?
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Title: Keir Starmer Visits Rome to Learn from Italy’s Success in Combating Illegal Migration
Meta Description: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer meets with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to study Italy’s effective approach to tackling illegal migration, a key concern for the UK government.
Keywords: Keir Starmer, Giorgia Meloni, illegal migration, Italy, UK, Europe, border control, asylum seekers
Britain’s Labour government, led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, has embarked on a mission to reset the country’s relations with Europe, following the UK’s exit from the European Union. As part of this effort, Starmer recently visited Rome to meet with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, the leader of the far-right Brothers of Italy party. The primary focus of their meeting was to discuss Italy’s successful experience in combating illegal migration, a pressing issue for both countries.
Since taking office in July, Starmer has been working to rebuild bridges with European leaders, including visits to Berlin, Paris, and Dublin. His meeting with Meloni marked a significant step in this process, as the two leaders explored ways to address the complex issue of illegal migration.
Italy’s Effective Approach
Meloni’s government has made significant strides in reducing the number of illegal immigrants in Italy. According to official figures, the country has seen a 60% decrease in illegal migrant flows between January and August 2024, compared to the same period last year. This achievement is largely attributed to the Italian government’s controversial measures, including the restriction of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) like Doctors Without Borders, which rescue migrants in the Mediterranean.
Rome has also stepped up financial support for Tunisia and Libya to combat smugglers in North Africa. Additionally, Meloni’s government has struck a deal with Albania to build two centers with Italian funding to receive up to 36,000 migrants caught by the Italian coast guard in the Mediterranean while their asylum applications are processed.
UK’s Interest in Italy’s Approach
Starmer’s government has been impressed by Italy’s success in tackling illegal migration, particularly in light of the UK’s own challenges. This year, over 22,000 illegal immigrants have attempted to cross the English Channel from France, with many undertaking dangerous journeys. The influx of illegal immigrants has also been linked to high-profile crimes in the UK.
The British prime minister has expressed interest in reaching agreements similar to the one Rome has with Tirana, which involves outsourcing illegal immigrants to Albania while their asylum claims are processed. Starmer has praised Meloni’s initiative, saying it is “just getting started” and that he is interested in understanding how it works.
A Shift in UK Policy
Starmer’s government has abandoned the previous Conservative government’s plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda, deeming it ineffective and expensive. Instead, the Labour government is exploring alternative approaches to address the issue of illegal migration.
In light of his meeting with Meloni, Starmer has promised to tighten border measures and “crush the gangs” involved in illegally bringing people into the UK. He has also pledged to usher in a “new era” of cross-border cooperation to address the root causes of illegal migration.
Conclusion
Keir Starmer’s visit to Rome marks a significant step in the UK’s efforts to reset its relations with Europe and address the pressing issue of illegal migration. By studying Italy’s successful approach, the British government hopes to find effective solutions to a problem that affects both countries. As the UK and Italy continue to work together on this issue, their cooperation is likely to have far-reaching implications for the future of European migration policy.
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