Britain’s new Prime Minister Keir Starmer

LONDON

In his first press conference since taking office, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced an end to the former Conservative government’s controversial deportation policy from Rwanda.

The program to return asylum seekers to Kigali has been officially abandoned, marking a significant policy shift under the new Labour government.

Starmer stressed his determination to end what he sees as ineffective and inhumane immigration measures.

“The Rwanda programme was dead and buried before it even began. It never had a deterrent effect,” he said in Downing Street.

He pointed to the record number of migrants crossing the English Channel in the first half of 2024 as proof of the failure of this policy.

“There was a high probability that I would not go and my application would not be processed and that I would therefore have to stay here in paid accommodation for a very, very long time. It has had exactly the opposite effect and I am not prepared to continue with such tricks which have no deterrent effect,” he added.

The Labour Party had promised to stop Rwanda’s deportation plans “on day one” if elected, arguing that the policy was not only ineffective but also costly and inhumane.

Starmer’s government is now focused on tackling the root causes of illegal immigration and improving the UK asylum system.

To curb Channel crossings, Starmet outlined a strategy that includes hiring specialist investigators and using anti-terrorism powers to dismantle the criminal gangs that enable these dangerous journeys.

Labour plans to redirect funding currently allocated to the Rwanda programme to law enforcement efforts. The party has proposed setting up a new “border enforcement command” to pursue gangs operating on small boat routes and improving security cooperation with the EU.

In addition, Labour intends to allow police to search people suspected of people smuggling and give them new powers to monitor their bank accounts.

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