Labour’s MI5 plan to tackle people smugglers will make Britain less safe, says James Cleverly
SIR Keir Starmer’s plan to use MI5 to try to thwart people smugglers will “weaken our defences against terrorism”, James Cleverly warned yesterday.
He said Labour’s policies to halt illegal migration — including axing the Rwanda scheme and letting people from anywhere seek refuge here — will make the UK the “asylum claim capital of the world”.
The Home Secretary told The Sun on Sunday that Sir Keir’s “smoke and mirrors” proposals would see small boat arrivals shoot “through the roof” and lead to an amnesty.
He was scathing about Labour’s promise to use spies to combat people smugglers and expand counter-terror powers to cover the ruthless small boat gangs.
Mr Cleverly said: “MI5 and our counter-terrorism police do an incredibly important job in protecting us from terrorism and moving them off of that job will inevitably make the country less safe.
“In order to grab a few cheap headlines, the Labour leader is making a commitment which, if he goes through with it, will inevitably weaken our defences against terrorism. Something I’d never do.”
Mr Cleverly admitted that the Rwanda scheme was starting to work “later” than the Government would have liked — but to suggest removing it was “ridiculous”.
He added: “We’re hearing asylum seekers and illegal migrants saying they are leaving the UK because of Rwanda.
“People are saying they’ve decided not to come across on small boats because of Rwanda.
“The Labour Party is sending a signal to the world that they would take it off the table just at the point where it’s starting to have the desired effect.”
Sir Keir has claimed that speeding up asylum claim processing and returning unsuccessful applicants to their home countries is the best way to stop the crossings.
But Mr Cleverly said it was a nonsense for the Labour chief to claim they can remove the deterrent and cut the numbers.
He said: “He avoids what he might do with Afghans, Iranians or Syrians who are not granted asylum.
“Is he proposing returns agreements with the Taliban, the Ayatollahs, or Assad?
“This last-minute, straw-clutching attempt will fool no one.
“The proposal he has got on the table — people being able to claim asylum from anywhere in the world — would make the UK the asylum claim capital of the world.”
Under Labour, officers from agencies including MI5, Immigration Enforcement and the National Crime Agency would make up a new Border Security Command.
Mr Cleverly said: “Basically, it already exists. Our small boat operational command is a multi-agency command, it’s headed by a former British Army General.
“The National Crime Agency is already interrupting the supply of boats and engines to Europe, making it harder for people to move money in relation to people smuggling.
All the things Labour claim they will do are already in place.”
On Friday, Sir Keir turned up in Dover with the town’s MP — Tory defector Natalie Elphicke.
She had crossed the floor of the Commons two days earlier before Prime Minister’s Questions, astonishing Tory and Labour MPs.
Mr Cleverly said: “That was not on my bingo card.
“It’s an ill-fitting relationship as Natalie, quite rightly, up until day she defected, was very critical of Keir Starmer’s weakness on immigration.”
Last spring, she had told voters not to trust Labour on immigration as they wanted open borders.
The day before her defection, she issued a leaflet accusing Labour of having “no plan” and “taking Britain back to square one”.
In a Tory party-funded message, she said Labour backed “uncontrolled immigration” whereas the Tories were taking “action to stop the boats”.
According to court documents, the first Rwanda deportation flight could take off as soon as June 24.
Government lawyers made the disclosure in response to a challenge to the policy by the FDA — a senior civil servants’ union.
Mr Cleverly said: “We’re looking to get flights off quickly.
“We wanted to get flights off much earlier but Labour delayed and delayed, showing they are not serious on border control.
“We’re also going to do the processing and administration very professionally.”
In response to fresh legal challenges facing the scheme, Mr Cleverly said: “We’ve made sure that the legislation is robust and consistent with international law.
“We won’t let foreign courts prevent us doing the right thing.
“We’re committed to stopping people losing their lives at sea.
“Those who really care about people being brutalised and drowning should support what we’re doing.”
It’s ridiculous for Labour to claim that by removing the deterrent they will reduce the numbers. The arrivals will go through the roof.
James Cleverly
He added that it was not unusual for migrants earmarked for departure to Rwanda to lose contact with the Home Office.
A government document showed only 2,145 of more than 5,700 “continue to report”.
He said: “We will do what we always do, which is go and find them, bring them into detention and do the processing.”
It is understood male migrants with no family in the UK are being targeted for the first flights in a bid to avoid legal challenges.
Mr Cleverly said: “We’re committed to continue the Rwanda scheme and it’s ridiculous for Labour to claim that by removing the deterrent they will reduce the numbers.
“The arrivals will go through the roof. Labour once again will be forced to have an amnesty.
“This attempt at smoke and mirrors doesn’t stand up to scrutiny.”
We won’t be writing endless blank cheques to Rwanda for this tiny Tory scheme
Yvette Cooper
Labour’s Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper yesterday accused Mr Cleverly of “making things up and looking for someone else to blame for Tory failure and chaos”.
She said hundreds of specialist investigators would be recruited into Labour’s Border Security Command.
She added: “We won’t be writing endless blank cheques to Rwanda for this tiny Tory scheme.”
Ms Cooper said: “More than 2,000 people have crossed in small boats since the Tories passed their latest Rwanda law.
More arrived in a weekend than they’ll ever send to Rwanda. Their whole plan is a con.
“The only party running an amnesty is the Tories — with tens of thousands of people put up permanently in taxpayer-funded accommodation.
“On their watch, the whole system is a complete mess.”