British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s meeting with Italian far-right premier Giorgia Meloni in Rome to discuss irregular immigration has been labeled as “disturbing” by members of his own Labour Party. Starmer’s visit with Meloni, who heads the anti-immigration Brothers of Italy party, has sparked criticism, especially in light of recent far-right riots in the UK targeting mosques and migrant accommodation centers.
Despite rejecting the previous government’s plan to fly asylum seekers to Rwanda, Starmer has vowed to tackle illegal immigration. During his visit, he also met with Italy’s interior minister to discuss immigration coordination. This comes as the issue of undocumented migrants and asylum seekers crossing the English Channel remains a pressing concern for the UK.
While some have criticized Starmer’s decision to seek advice from Italy’s right-wing administration, others, like Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, argued that the government has a duty to combat criminal gangs profiting from human trafficking.
Starmer has not ruled out offshore processing of asylum claims, similar to Italy’s agreements with Albania and Tunisia. These agreements involve hosting centers for those seeking asylum, as well as efforts to deter refugees from crossing the Mediterranean.
During his visit, Starmer praised Italy’s efforts to reduce arrivals by addressing the root causes of migration in countries of origin. The decrease in refugee arrivals to Italy, as reported by the Ministry of the Interior, is seen as a result of these preventive measures.
Overall, Starmer’s meeting with Meloni and his discussions on immigration cooperation have stirred debate and raised concerns among his political allies, given the controversial nature of his Italian counterpart’s far-right stance on immigration.
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